FAMILY AND BIBLICAL VALUES

Family and Bible Values

Family values deployed in the Bible. Rather, biblical values deployed in the family. Values, not sentimentality. “First, let me bury my father.” “Let the dead bury the dead.” Ultimate obligation, even in our time and age, to bury one’s parents. Jesus’ answer a slap in the face!

“Blessed is the womb, and the breasts...” “Rather, blessed are….” Jesus’ answer does not deny the blessedness of the womb. What is the destiny of the child in the womb and the babe at the breast?

Old Testament. Hannah, mother of Samuel. She prayed at the temple of Shiloh, begging the Lord for a son. Samuel – “begging the Lord.” When the baby was weaned, Hannah gave him to the holy man at Shiloh, named Eli. After praying so much for a son, she offers him back to God.

Child Jesus in the Temple. After three days of agonizing search. “Son, why have you treated us so?” “Why were you long for me?” Obvious, he belonged to God. Children belong to God.

Abraham and his son, Isaac. “Sacrifice to me the son you love.” Isaac, bearer of the promise and future of the race,…to be slaughtered. Awful story of radical demand. God has no feelings? Is God playing games with a child’s life? No sentimentality here, either. Isaac belongs ultimately to God.

“But my children are mine!” Really? Well up to a point in their history. You have to let them go to find their way in the world, choose their avocation, their life partner. And in the midst of all that they belong to a higher power, a transcendent Parent with an enlivening purpose. Ultimately, nothing is yours. You don’t even belong to yourself.

One day Jesus was relaxing under a tree, tired and breathless. The mothers began bringing their children to him. Peter objected. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. To be a child is to have your passport endorsed for heaven. “’Tana’, your sins are forgiven.” “Unless you become like little children….”

Turn everything to God. Let God take over. What is the purpose of your life? The purpose of your life is for God to take over your life.

Recently canonized St. Pope John Paul II used to call the family the “ecclesiola” – the little church. How shall we foster biblical family values?  a) Read the bible, especially the New Testament; b) family rosary: contemplation of the mysteries of Christ while reciting the Hail Mary’s.

There are different avocations and vocations: office worker, manager, factory worker, medical and legal profession, street cleaner, teacher (Jesus was teacher par excellence), street cleaner, armed forces and police, crime busters, garbage collectors and politicians (very often they go together). But the noblest vocation is parenthood. No parenthood - no priesthood. Dear parents, give us your sons. If you don’t, the holy Mass will stop.

Let me end with MY story. Baptized that baby, I raised him to the statue of our Blessed Mother, and forgot about it. After 28 years I get from Australia a beautiful invitation to his priestly ordination.