Those of us who have had the opportunity to have children know that they don’t come with an instruction manual. Likewise, we weren’t born with one either, so our parents also had to do the best they could with the experiences they lived through.
Raise your hand if you consider yourself a perfect parent!
The reality is that we make mistakes. And our parents would likely say the same.
And you—how do you relate to your immediate family? Do you avoid contact, or do you long for their presence?
It is so common to hear about differences, disagreements, and even fights within families that it has become normal for close relatives not only to stop speaking or seeing each other, but to actively avoid one another.
It is one thing to disagree, but quite another to condemn, criticize, and want the other person to change.
To what extent can each of us find what unites us while respecting normal differences?
Being different from one another is not only normal but part of human nature.
At the same time, how can we honor the fact that we belong to the same family?
There have been many times where I have provided spiritual accompaniment to people who struggle most in their relationships with their siblings. They declare their love for their parents. But strongly disagree with their siblings’ actions and behaviors.
Certainly, the human differences we have can extend beyond our siblings to our neighbors—to everyone around us.
Can you and I, despite our differences, embrace the words of the psalmist?
—God made us, and we are His.
This could help us remember that we come from the same source of love and that we have a place in God’s heart—even amidst so many differences.
Just look at our own bodies; they are so diverse. Even the fingers on a single hand are all different. Yet, they all belong.
Can you experience that sense of belonging?
If the Spirit leads you, share with Jesus the carpenter just how much you feel you belong to God. And perhaps you will remember that we have all always had a place in His Sacred Heart.
Marisol
P.S.: We can hear about the joy of belonging to God in the readings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, year/cycle A.
