Guang Zhou bishop: Advent is a time to improve ourselves and bring love into the family
In a pastoral letter, Mgr Joseph Gan Jun-qiu writes that "we are called to reflect upon ourselves, meditate and renew our lives, to welcome the incarnation of the Messiah into our hearts". "The three key words for each family” are “'Excuse me', 'Please' 'Thank you!'"
Guang Zhou (AsiaNews) – Advent is a time that invites us to improve ourselves. It is in particular a time to bring love in the family, in the relationship between spouses and with children, writes Mgr Joseph Gan Jun-qiu, archbishop of Guang Zhou (pictured), in his pastoral letter for Christmas.
At Advent, "we are called to reflect upon ourselves, meditate and renew our lives,” says the letter, “to welcome the incarnation of the Messiah into our hearts. I pray that the fragrance of his love may spread in every Christian family! May the coming of Christ illuminate all of our families with a shining light!"
"Love is the backbone of the family; the family is the joy of love; joy is the source of love; love is the golden rule of family life. The birth of Jesus Christ gathered the love of the world, purified it and made it full; such love permeates the life of faith, hope and charity in our Christian families. For this reason, Jesus said: ‘love one another. As I have loved you’ (John 13:34). ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body' (Gen 2:24). The union between husband and wife is God’s 'original plan' and constitutes the family.
"The family is the place where new life is born and children are 'crystals of love', which reflect the life and grace of God because love always brings Life to us! Parents are the cornerstone of the family and children are the 'living stones' to build the family. The Christian family should be modeled on the 'family of Nazareth', full of faith and hope, with love as a starting point. The light of grace and faith, in silence and meditation, push us to imitate the glory of the true love of the Holy Family!"
"The relationship between husband and wife and with children, in many families, is in full crisis. On the day of their marriage, husband and wife say 'I will!' but mutual distrust and misunderstanding have gradually undermined it. Lack of communication, understanding, forgiveness, mutual love, suffering, evil, and violence destroy the family. The destruction of the communion of life and love among family members is a 'red alert', a warning sign for the family. Christian marriage is a sign; above all a happy family life, where husband and wife 'keep their promises'. The grace of the sacrament of marriage helps the spouses 'keep their promise'!"
"On 21-28 August 2018, the 9th World Family Congress was held in Dublin, Ireland, centred on the theme of the ‘Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World’. On that occasion, Pope Francis noted that 'Love spreads in the world through the family, through the witness of generations of Christian families, capable of overcoming all obstacles and reconcile the world with God. Moreover, this love makes us become one big family, living together in justice, holiness and peace. In addition, the pope invited each member to repeat the three key words for each family: 'Excuse me', 'Please' 'Thank you!'"
"The essence of mutual love is reflected in the acts of love we perform. Saint Thomas Aquinas says: 'To love is more virtuous than to receive love'. Loving is more dynamic: those who love tolerate the faults of their loved ones and know how to remain silent! Saint Ignatius Loyola said: 'Love manifests itself first of all in actions, then also in words!' Therefore, within family life, love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things ' (1 Corinthians 13:7). 'God is love' (1 John 4:8). Through mutual love in the family, the 'light of love' of God makes the sun “from on high [. . .] visit us to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace’ (Luke 1:78-79)."
"Dear brothers and sisters, ‘love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another’ (John 13:34). Christian family life is the ‘pasture of mercy' of Jesus Christ. If we walk with seriousness on the path of the beatitudes, we will learn and live the true meaning of 'loving one another'; for example: going to church on Sunday all together, participating in the Mass, praying together, eating together, chatting, walking together, travelling together. . . Even more important is 'always be happy, pray continually and give thank for everything (1 Corinthians 5:16-18). We must constantly repeat the three key words of the family: 'I'm sorry', 'Please', 'Thank you’. With communion and unity in the love of God, every Christian family can live ever more the love of Christ, building perfect and happy families, to form a 'holy city, the new Jerusalem', where families love each other! (Revelation 21:2).
"Finally, let us pray to the 'holy house of Nazareth' – Jesus, Mary, Joseph – to protect and sanctify each of our families, so that there be no more violence, closures and divisions in families, that there always be an atmosphere of mutual love, forgiveness for wounds received and given, aware of the beauty of the family in God's plan, because 'everything comes from God and we belong to him!' (1 Corinthians 8, 6). Let us wait with trepidation for the Christmas of Jesus, like 'wise virgins', and let us make room to welcome Jesus in our families, to welcome Jesus into our family and in everyone’s heart!"
.png)
13/06/2019 14:37
