There is no better place than the family to fully unfold our being. It is a space of the incarnate love of Jesus, present in every member, at every moment.
Let me share my experience with you: I am a wife and a mother of three children. My husband and I have built a family for 35 years. Have we faced hardships? Yes. Have there been challenges? Certainly. Have we celebrated joys and achievements? Of course. Have we gone through deep grief? Absolutely. All of it is, and has been, a blessing. Every day, we renew our sense of being a family, because family is an act of love that is built intentionally, day after day.
Traditional family? Nuclear family? Blended family? Diverse family? That matters little. Regardless of how many people make up a family or how it is composed, being family means being fully open to the other person with whom you share life. It is not possible to be family in self-centeredness, selfishness, or individualism. Family exists only through the emotional bonds that move us to respond to the needs of each member and to shared needs.
Everyday life becomes extraordinary because there is someone to greet with a good morning and good night; someone to share spaces with, to break bread with (and hurry with, too). At the end of the day, you return to your place of peace. You remain attentive to what each person is experiencing from their own place; you respect and support them, and you receive the same in return. In the family, you care for yourself, for others, for your environment, and for your spiritual life. In this mutual care, the family protects you from uncertainty, from the risks of wanting to escape reality. You rejoice and suffer—because you are family.
Every single day, without exception, in my family, we tell each other how much we love one another. We stay in touch not out of obligation, but out of conviction. The bond between us sustains us. It is the light that guides us through the current socio-political and economic uncertainty. Being affectionate with each other is essential, as is having a good sense of humor to laugh together and avoid getting caught up in minor conflicts. With open dialogue and goodwill, these can be resolved before escalating into violence (such as silence, insults, or mistreatment).
We pray as a family, we bless each other, and we attend the Eucharist together (and if our children don’t go, my husband and I go nonetheless), not out of superstition or hollow devotion, but because we are convinced that we need His loving presence, the influence of His Spirit, to live in harmony. Each member’s effort to maintain open communication is essential for preserving unity.
The changes brought about by today’s world do not alter the fundamental values of a family: communication, respect, commitment, joy, humor, closeness, listening, empathy, dialogue, trust, truth, and spirituality.
Much has been said about the family, sometimes questioning its value or relevance. On this day of celebration, let us acknowledge that all of us—without exception—need it. I invite you to bless your family and recognize it as a sacred space.
Lourdes Canales
Coordinator of EnREDaLA (Red Latinoamericana de Escuelas Asunción)
Assumption Institute of Mexico