A priest who was my pastor some years ago used to start many of his Sunday sermons with the words, "When I was in Innsbruck . . . . ." He was referring to his last years of formal study for the priesthood at a seminary in Innsbruck, Austria. I have to admit that sometimes I groaned when I heard that phrase -- probably because his stories were about a time and a place that somehow seemed unreachable to me. What I understand today, though, is that the pastor was sharing with us, to the best of his abilities, some of the formative events of his life. Although our small town southern Illinois culture was not very comfortable with "sharing feelings," the pastor was revealing himself to us -- at least, to all of us in his congregation who would listen. These old memories popped into my head in recent days as I was reflecting on the travels and adventures taken in my own life during the past several weeks. My wife and I, along with several friends in the Christian Family Movement, spent two weeks in Brazil. It was wonderful. It was exciting. It was more than that, too, because the places we visited and the people we met will continue to affect me for the rest of my life.
* * * So what do you think? What are the responsibilities of a mother and father to their young children? One responsibility certainly has to be the faith that is lived and experienced within the family. In the second letter to Timothy, St. Paul writes,"I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you."
* * * The 2001 conference of the International Confederation of Christian Family Movements was held in Maceió, in the state of Alegoras, Brazil, in late July. Maceió is a city of about 750,000 people, on the Atlantic coast, not to far south of the equator. In this relatively remote part of the world, representatives from 35 countries met to learn more about the challenges of family life. We had general presentations and small group discussions, too. My English-speaking group included people from the United States, Brazil, Uruguay, Hungary and Thailand. English was not the first language of everyone there, but it was a common language we could all use. We discussed "globalization" -- a term that tries to describe how people in all parts of the world are increasingly affected by the policies and actions of people in other parts of the world. Information, music, entertainment, Internet communications, goods and services -- all of these cultural, social, financial and religious influences are spinning faster and faster around the world. How does "globalization" affect the family? Our small group discussed a dozen ways, maybe more. What is the area within the family which needs the most attention? Some fifteen mothers, fathers, sons and daughters from four continents came to this agreement: The need is for education -- so that everyone may live more fully in the life of faith, so that families may continue to grow, and so that people everywhere may participate fully in their social and civic community. "Education" could take a lifetime and more of enthusiastic endeavor for the benefit of families throughout the world.
* * * St. Paul, in Romans 10, asks how people will call upon the Lord if they have not first believed in the Lord. "And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?" The call of every Christian family is to preach the presence of Jseus Christ, who came to bring good news to the needy.
* * * Take the time today to reflect on the formation of your own faith. What are the influences that shaped your lives?What words are made flesh in your family today? Take the time today to do what you can to educate your family in the life of faith and in the requirements for social concerns. Reveal yourself -- your faith and your hopes -- to a world hungry for your love. Make the whole world a better place.
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