Family First

Here I am, less than 30 years old married and with 2 children... And I couldn't feel more accomplished!

Lately I have been having a lot of conversations with leaders, and other young adults about this false idea that our culture has sold us about "getting ourselves together" and only after that, then getting married/building a family.  The purpose of being married is that you have someone to "build with", not someone you come to with everything already built.  

"God in his deepest mystery is not a solitude, but a family." - St. Pope John Paul II

Although our humanity is flawed since the fall, the goal since the very beginning is that in our "made in the image and likeness of God" to be that family... Or that perfect community resting in Him.  As we struggle together, eat together, and create together things won't always be perfect and many will raise voices/get on each other's nerves but still that unity remains.

We are taught to have our "own money", and our "own home" but this isolation is actually more harmful to our spirits than helpful.  Let me put it like this.... When you do something wrong or break a law, as punishment/to help society you are put in prison away from the outside world.  If the trend continues and you break the rules in Jail, then you are put in solitary confinement - an even worse sentence.  Even in this you see that the human person was "not made to be alone." (God recognizes this in us right away in Genesis 2:18).  Even science says that a cell(which makes up the body) that for whatever reason does not cooperate with the rest of body(organ; organ system; organism) is a function of illness or disease.

If all of this is the case, then why would we seek something solely individual?... Simply stated it is a product of original sin at work in the world.... Pride leading to disobedience....  Pride leading to a self-centered, and narcissistic society.

The way we break that is simply person by person, and family by family.  For scripture states "To find a wife is to find happiness, a favor granted by the LORD." - Proverbs 18:22 ; and Mother Theresa says "If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family."

Reflecting on all of this, and the beauty of the joys I have received in my own family; I would go further to say this... "The greatest self accomplishment, is simply unity with another person."

May God grow our families; protect our families; and teach us to be more like himself... Perfect love.

- The Symbol
- All is Love