Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Luke, Chapter 1, verse 10-12:

¹⁰ Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, ¹¹ the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. ¹²Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

Zechariah was troubled and he was afraid.  I do not think this was Holy fear for Zechariah’s faith did not equal his fear and he was filled with unbelief.  His intellect outweighed his heart and as a result he was left unable to speak until the birth of his son as the angel told him.  That son was John the Baptist. There are times when we must listen to our hearts and not our heads.

Amoris Lætitia[1] The Experiences and Challenges of Families-The Current Reality of the Family-(40-44)

 In some countries, many young persons “postpone a wedding for economic reasons, work or study. Some do so for other reasons, such as the influence of ideologies which devalue marriage and family, the desire to avoid the failures of other couples, the fear of something they consider too important and sacred, the social opportunities and economic benefits associated with simply living together, a purely emotional and romantic conception of love, the fear of losing their freedom and independence, and the rejection of something conceived as purely institutional and bureaucratic.” We need to find the right language; arguments and forms of witness that can help us reach the hearts of young people, appealing to their capacity for generosity, commitment, love and even heroism, and in this way inviting them to take up the challenge of marriage with enthusiasm and courage. Indeed, “a narcissistic, unstable or changeable affectivity does not always allow a person to grow to maturity.” Marital problems are “often confronted in haste and without the courage to have patience and reflect, to make sacrifices and to forgive one another. The development of bio-technology has also had a major impact on the birth rate.” Additionally to this are added other factors, such as “industrialization, the sexual revolution, the fear of overpopulation and economic problems. Consumerism may also deter people from having children, simply so they can maintain a certain freedom and life-style.” The Church strongly rejects the forced State intervention in favor of contraception, sterilization and even abortion.” The State has the responsibility to pass laws and create work to ensure the future of young people and help them realize their plan of forming a family.” It should be kept in mind that “the family has the right to decent housing, fitting for family life and commensurate to the number of the members, in a physical environment that provides the basic services for the life of the family and the community.” This makes us see how important it is to insist on the rights of the family and not only those of individuals.

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[1] Pope Francis, Encyclical on Love.