The Church: Family of God

Throughout the history of the People of God, it was essential that fathers passed on to their sons the memory of the deeds of the Lord. Family rituals were established to guarantee the transmission of the significant events in the people's history. The family was the center of social and religious life. The family table was a place to find refreshing drink when you were thirsty, tasty morsels when you were hungry, and a compassionate ear when you needed to sort things out. The family was the core element of society and the glue that help society together. But something went terribly wrong along the way. Men and women forgot that they were created in the image and likeness of God and no longer sought to stroll with Him in the cool of the day. No longer living in communion with God, men and women ceased to see each other as helpmates, or lifesavers in their daily tasks. They became more and more alienated from each other and saw no need to repair the breech. The hearth stopped functioning as the heart of the home and the table stopped being the gathering place of the family.

During the advent season we are reminded that through the mystery of the Incarnation God is doing something new. We have only to recall these words from the Book of Revelation. “Behold, I am making everything new” (Rev. 21:5). He is taking the work of human hands into His hands and recreating it. He is using the fruit of the mutual self-gift of Elizabeth and Zachary as the herald of Emanuel. Through the birth of the son, the voice is returned to the silent father. The family is once again established as a place of joy and celebration of the works of God. Recognizing the reign of God and restoring mankind’s relationship with Him is the starting point, foundation and ultimate goal of the restoration of all things in our lives and in our world. Healing our broken relationship with God is the foundation for healing our broken relationships with the world. The Word became Flesh and dwelled among us because a world without God can never be whole.

As we strive to renew our lives in Christ we will find grace to reestablish our relationships with one another. Let the words with which Pope Francis closed the Synod close these reflections. “And this is the Church, the vineyard of the Lord, the fertile Mother and the caring Teacher, who is not afraid to roll up her sleeves to pour oil and wine on people’s wound; who doesn’t see humanity as a house of glass to judge or categorize people. This is the Church, One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic and composed of sinners, needful of God’s mercy. This is the Church, the true bride of Christ, who seeks to be faithful to her spouse and to her doctrine. It is the Church that is not afraid to eat and drink with prostitutes and publicans. The Church that has the doors wide open to receive the needy, the penitent, and not only the just or those who believe they are perfect! The Church that is not ashamed of the fallen brother and pretends not to see him, but on the contrary feels involved and almost obliged to lift him up and to encourage him to take up the journey again and accompany him toward a definitive encounter with her Spouse, in the heavenly Jerusalem.”

--Father Jerome Machar, OSCO