Family

 

A picture I took of an amice worn by Saint Pope John Paul the Second,
located in the main sacristy at the Pontifical College Josephinum.
We have relics to remind us of the presence of our family in heaven!

Family. We all started our lives in a family. But, as we can see clearly in our world today, family has been corrupted far from the plans God had for it. Truly, family has become one of the vital targets that the Enemy has taken upon himself to destroy.

In fact, our world does not even know what family is, in any sense of the word! Our universal family has become a feel-good abstractness, our “kit and kin” have become a fluid choice about whatever group makes us feel best about ourselves, our biological families have become futile efforts at tolerating each other. We have lost family- we have lost home!

Where do we go from here? Is there anything in this world that can fix this?

No.

There is nothing in this world that can fix our family, our home.

But we were not made for this world! We are called to an everlasting family, an eternal home! Why do we waste time trying to find and produce the definition of family for ourselves and by ourselves? True family is found in the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, His Son, and their all-powerful union of love in Holy Spirit. The Trinity is perfect family, and just as God made us to share in His love, He made us to share in His family.

However, “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John, 4:19). We cannot love in family without first being loved by and in Him in His family. And the easiest path to enter into this is through Our Immaculate Mother, Mary! For She, though human, was given the grace to live completely in the family of God, the Trinity. Hold onto Her hand and ask Her to bring you home to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Her Father, Son, and Spouse!) and She will guide you through the family of heaven and earth. Saints will teach you, pray with you, intercede for you. You will gratefully rejoice as angels serve God in you with love. You will pray for the souls in purgatory and they will pray for you as you see each other’s pain.

And, family on earth will be blessed by God through you. If you immerse yourself in His family, you will be the one to walk with brothers and sisters to Him throughout this valley of tears- tears of sadness, yet tears of hope. Let Him form you, and more will follow, healed by the same mercy He has given you.

We are not worthy… but we are family.

In my opening time at seminary, God has been showing the beauty of this gift. Earlier today, I was trying to praise the Lord through liturgy of the hours, but it felt as though my efforts were in vain- my heart could simply not praise. However, my brother seminarians were praising around me! My family at home was praising! So many of those friends that I know are praising Him! And, most importantly, the saints and angels are praising directly with me! They have been my help, and have shown themselves to me as family in many different ways. I pray that God brings you into His family through the Immaculata in this way too.

~Maximilian Kolbe