Family – the living cell of the Church<br/><br/>

The Marriage Encounter Weekend Workshop run by the Marriage Enrichment Association of our parish was held last week end from July 31 to August 2, 2004. We had seventeen couples attending this function. As Msgr. Joseph Kiang is still recovering from illness, I took up his role as their spiritual director.<br/><br/>

Family is the living cell of the Church, while mutual love is the core (nucleus) of this cell. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)<br/><br/>

The foundation of mutual love is built upon a solid personal relationship with God. To build a sound foundation of love, we have to foster a habit of understanding and forgiving others, rather than vigorously demanding to be understood and forgiven. We should tender more loving care for others rather than asking to be cared. Once we have understood that it is God who loves and forgives us in the first place, we can love and forgive others with ease.<br/><br/>

When we suffer or when we encounter temptation, we are sharing the burden of mankind with Jesus. Thus, we could stand up on our feet again and continue to act out our love. “Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20) As St. Paul had said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)<br/><br/>

Only in the love of Christ can our families become the living cells of the Church.