We can now understand better what we are conveying when at Mass we finish with a blessing. It is saying that after we have gathered here around the Eucharist together for prayer and to be nourished by the body and blood of Jesus Christ we now go from here accompanied by the presence and the power of our God. This enables our daily life to be animated and enabled by our God who is present among us.
Traditionally, the Sunday after Christmas is dedicated to the Feast of the Holy Family. It is therefore most appropriate to dwell a bit on the blessings that accompany family life. As a church we have always given importance to the family. The family forms the solid foundation of a nation. It is the place where people can be best formed to take their place in society both on a professional basis as well as displaying the necessary values. Every time that family life is threatened, our nation becomes poorer. Every time there are moves especially from the government side to diminish the importance of married family life our nation also loses much of its potential. We can see what is going on in our society now. More and more of our children are returning home where their natural father is not present and there are rumblings from some backbenchers advocating same sex unions.
On the other scale of the balance, I firmly believe in the blessings of parents. You parents are the first teachers to your children. I can safely say that I am who I am today because I had a father and a mother who loved me and gave me their best. It was such a treasure to see during this Christmas period when families gather together parents embracing their children and grandchildren and blessing them.
I had the great opportunity to be close to my mother for about four weeks before she died. I vividly remember the day she died. I was close to her. When I realised that she was getting weaker, I grabbed her hand and said to her, "I would like to say something to you and do not try to stop me before I finish. I want first of all to thank you for all that you have done for me, for my brother and for my sister. Thank you for your sacrifices and for always catering to our needs. Secondly, I would ask you to forgive me for those times that I disappointed you or hurt you. For the times that I did the opposite to what you were hoping or asking. Thirdly, I ask you to bless me". She looked at me and pronounced a few words of blessing. These were her last words to me. I will always treasure that moment because with my mother's blessing I also carry constantly with me the blessing of our God.
Today, the first day of the year, is also a day dedicated to peace all over the world. It is not a coincidence that one of the most evident fruits of a blessing is peace. I go back to the first reading of today where we find the words, "May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace". What is peace? It is not simply an absence of armed conflict or litigation. It is much more. It is a gift that has been planted in each one of us by God. This gift needs to be brought forward by all of us when we act justly, when we love tenderly and when we walk humbly with our God. This is where once again family life as we value it from a Christian point of view, is the source of so much peace.
"The truth of peace calls upon everyone to cultivate productive and sincere relationships, it encourages them to seek out and to follow the path of forgiveness and reconciliation, to be transparent in their dealings with others, and to be faithful to their word". (Pope Benedict XVI - Message World Day of Peace 2006)
What can prevent peace? I will only mention two things. Not telling the truth occupies a high place. When we look at the history of the twentieth century, we can rejoice in so many achievements. At the same time, it has been a time of so many wars and dictatorships. Many people have suffered terribly as communist and fascist regimes tried to impose their ideas and ways of governing. One of the means that was used by such governments was the falsifying of what is true, in order words by lying, character accusations, bullying threats and hatred. We are called to always seek and speak what is true. Once again family life helps us to appreciate and put into practice this reality.
Secondly, peace in our time continues to be dramatically compromised and repeated by terrorism where all of us are constantly in a state of fear and insecurity. In his message for World Day of Peace in 2002, Pope John Paul 11 had this to say, "Those who kill by acts of terrorism actually despair of humanity, or life, of the future. In their view, everything is to be hated and destroyed....To try to impose on others by violent means what we consider to be the truth is an offence against the dignity of the human being, and ultimately an offence against God in whose image he is made".
This is where our faith is vital. Being followers of Jesus Christ who committed no sin, and no guile was found on his lips (1 Pet 2:22), we are especially equipped and graced to be instruments of peace. The prayer of St Francis is so practical, so powerful, so radical.
Lord make me an instrument of your peace.
where there is hatred let me sow love,
where there is injury, pardon,
where there is doubt, faith,
where there is despair, hope,
where there is darkness, light
and where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
God bless.
