St Peter’s Family Life
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Lectionary: 74
This coming week is National Marriage Week.
“Among the many blessings that God has showered upon us in Christ is the blessing of marriage, a gift bestowed by the Creator from the creation of the human race…It is a source of blessing to the couple, to their families, and to society and includes the wondrous gift of co-creating human life.”
Pope Saint John Paul II tells us that “The family, which is founded and given life by love, is a community of persons: of husband and wife, of parents and children, of relatives. Its first task is to live with fidelity the reality of communion in a constant effort to develop an authentic community of persons.”
Today, we see a bit of Saint Peter’s family life.
Simon and Andrew, the sons of Jonah, were successful fishermen. Simon had his own boat. He and Andrew were business partners with James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and they hired people to work for them. I wonder how Zebedee and Jonah felt when their four sons left to follow Jesus. I think there must have been mixed emotions. Surely they were happy that their sons were choosing to follow the messiah. But I imagine there must have been sadness, too.
Like Jonah and Zebedee, I had the privilege of working with two of my children over the summer. I loved working with them. They are smart and they work hard. They are funny. They love their wives and their children. They think seriously about life. I was sad when I couldn’t work with them any more, but I am thankful for that time. Our work is part of our family life, even if we do not have the blessing of working with our family every day. What we do, how we do it, and our attitude all affect our family. Do we work hard? Do we work honestly? Does our faith guide our words and behavior at work? Do we respect our boss? Do we respect our employees? Do we gossip, complain, or shirk our duties when nobody’s looking?
Peter and Andrew shared a home together with their extended family, including Peter’s mother-in-law. They cared for her in her sickness, and asked for help when she needed it. Our modern culture values independence over family and community. We leave home, move away, and go our separate ways. Sometimes this is necessary because of the fallen world in which we live, but it has consequences.
I had to move away from where my mother lives when my children were young. It was necessary, but it had consequences. I do not get to see my mother very often, nor my sister and her husband and my niece and nephew, nor my aunt and uncle and cousins who live there. Sometimes my mother was sick and alone. My children grew up far away from those people I love. As a parent and a grandparent, I am so thankful to have my children and grandchildren nearby. It breaks my heart to think of not seeing my children and grandchildren for years at a time, and to think of that as my mother’s experience.
Do we remember and make time to visit those who are alone? Do we care for our family as they grow old, or when they become sick? Do we call our parents and grandparents if we do not live nearby?
A few weeks ago, we heard that the first thing Andrew did after getting to know the Messiah was to tell his brother Peter. That is something I appreciate about my family, too. We talk about our spiritual life. We admit when we are struggling with our faith, hope, and love. Sometimes we argue. Sometimes we mess up and need forgiveness. None of us are perfect. All of us are on a journey, and I am glad we are on it together.
How is this in your family? Do you support each other in difficult times? Do you encourage your family members to have the courage to do what they feel is right? Do you share your faith journey with your family? Do you remember and acknowledge that each of you are on a journey, and none of you are perfect?
I don’t do all of those things very well. My family is pretty great, but we have plenty of problems. I am sure that is true for your family too. Did you notice that Pope Saint John Paul the Second said we live “in a constant effort to develop an authentic community”? It does take a constant effort.
When Jesus came to Peter and Andrew’s house, something else happened: “When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door.”
Sometimes, we need help. Peter’s mother-in-law needed help, so the family asked Jesus for help. People in the town were ill or possessed by demons, so the community brought them to Jesus.
What do we do when people in our family or in our community need help? What do we do when they are physically or mentally ill? What do we do when they behave or speak in a way that brings shame on themselves, upon their family, and upon our community?
I hope we bring them to Jesus. That’s what the church exists to do. That’s what a community does. That’s what a family does. We bring them to Jesus.
And a family begins with a married couple. Marriage is in trouble in our culture. Many have given up on marriage, and many others have lost their understanding of this gift from God. Some offer inadequate alternatives, because they fail to understand the essential nature of marriage as God intended.
I encourage you to pray for marriages in a special way this week. Pray for the marriages in your own family. Pray for the marriages in your community, and in the world. If you are married, or if you hope to someday marry, then pray for the person who is or who will be your spouse.
I also encourage you to investigate the website www.foryourmarriage.org for more resources on dating, married life, and parenting. The Bishops of the United States created this to strengthen marriage. They offer podcasts and prayers, and all sorts of resources to strengthen families and marriages.
Finally, will you please pray for those who do not enjoy the blessing of marriage? Pray for those called to a celibate life. Pray for those who have been abandoned by their spouse. Pray for those who have experienced the death of their spouse. Pray for those who are excluded from God’s pattern for marriage by their sexuality or gender identity. Pray for those who desire the gift of marriage.
And pray for the Church, the bride of Christ, that the entire church and each of its members will be faithful in bringing joy and healing to a world desperately in need of both.
