The current trend in humanity seems to be of a lifestyle that aims for maximum comfort and maximum convenience. Thus humanity now experiences high demands due to the extravagant lifestyle. Family life would experience stress when the family financial state demands higher income. The era of economical globalization forces everyone to involve in it because the business world is becoming more and more competitive.
It would certainly help if we could give it a thought to revert back to some of our common simple pleasures of life. Remember how we achieved self-gratification through healthy food, playing affordable games and sought humor in the company of good friends!? With self-control, we can help prevent our children who are rightfully our prized assets, from becoming economic liabilities. The breadwinners of the family could consider refraining from aiming for achievements at the expense of spousal relationship that would certainly affect the children.
Many families experience internal conflicts due to the ever increasing demands of their daily life. The increasing price of basic necessities, increasing tuition fees, bank interests and a "hi-class" family lifestyle... all these can easily stress out many a family that are living beyond their means. Business companies are putting forward high profitable goals which become unreasonable for their employees, most of whom are parents. The children are certainly affected by the way time is given to them by these affected parents.
As a result, family life all around the world is experiencing the threat of fragmentation, consciously or unconsciously. The sad and bitter facts concerning the younger generation we read in the newspapers or hear the news are glaringly evident. This makes many breadwinners end up putting their work and achievements before their wife and children. There is a common need in children to be appreciated, respected and recognized but they are best provided for by the parents and not by the current trends of the world.
We need to be aware at all times that we have a life and we have real persons around us, especially our loved ones in the family. As a family, we can certainly be a source of God-given blessing to one another. For the families that have already seen fragmentation, the hope of integration is still within sight.
Among the many tools of healing, we have the gift of listening. Listening is very important in communication. True listening appeals to the basic psychological needs of persons communicating that leads to a better understanding, acceptance, and a closer and warmer relationship. Listening does not mean agreeing or following. It means understanding the other speak with your heart, thus placing yourself in the shoes of the others, This is listening with empathy. It takes practice to be able to listen to the other with your whole personality that includes your whole awareness. This leads to healing.
Listening is important and demands an effort to concentrate and put away all distractions. If done genuinely between husband and wife, the children would benefit. The kids would grow into fine adults practicing what they see in the communication between their parents, and make this their way of life in society, including their own future family and the Church community they belong to. We need healing, and this would bring some hope to re-integrate family life again.
A Catholic marriage is a sacrament and a covenant, a living and observable sign of Christ love for us. The objective of marriage is Oneness. God's plan for marriage is Oneness. In marriage, we are called to be One. - Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5-6; Mark 10:6-9 -
However, to become ONE in marriage does not entail that both spouses would lose his or her identity and end up as one personality. Marriage does not wipe out our uniqueness and our differences, thus husband and wife shall continue to be unique throughout their married life. The meaning of becoming ONE in marriage leads to unity and harmony in a couple's vision of family life - on issues of sex and life, children and their upbringing, finance, relationships with in-laws and friends, the use of leisure time...and the list goes on and on and on.
Marriage has functioned as the unique institution of self-perpetuation - it still is today, at least where the pro-life Church is concerned! The Church goes further in this respect... through its redemptive mission as the Body of Christ made up of all her family members, out springs the gift of vocations in the form of pastoral workers as well as the religious and the priesthood that reaches out to serve the Church in return, as well as reaching out to the world in mission.
BY REV. FR. PATRICK BOUDVILLE
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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