LET THEM GROW TOGETHER
UNTIL HARVEST
UNTIL HARVEST
Oftentimes, and
for very good reasons, parents turn to their own parents when choosing
godparents for their children, and proactive help from grandparents and
godparents makes a huge difference in a child's faith development.
I
would like to start our reflection today with this little prayer: "Lord,
may your word take deep root in my heart, that I may bear good fruit for your
glory. May I hunger for your righteousness now, so that I may look forward to
the day of eternal life with excitement and great joy. Amen."
In
the Gospel of Matthew, the image Jesus uses is a common everyday example of
planting, harvesting, and sorting the good fruit from the bad. God's word
brings life. God will reward each of us by living our lives fully in doing His
will and doing good works.
Today
the church honors Joachim and Anne, parents of the Virgin Mary, were thus the
grandparents of Jesus. Although scripture records no encounter between Jesus
and His grandparents, He presumably had at least some contact with them in His
younger years.
Like
the nuclear family, the extended family is also part of God's plan of creation
- grandparents and grandchildren are intended by God as mutual blessings for
each other. Oftentimes, and for very good reasons, parents turn to their own
parents when choosing godparents for their children, and proactive help from
grandparents and godparents makes a huge difference in a child's faith
development.
In
our responsorial psalm we acclaim: "How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord, mighty God" (Ps 84). May we all live as one in the house of our
heavenly Father!