For Love

They say that great men are forged by fire and that it is the privilege of lesser men to ignite the flame.  I disagree.  I believe it is by our sacrifice and by our love we contribute to the people we are today.  Our families are so inundated with distractions that we forget the important things needed in everyday living.  It is the small things we do for each other that count and that each and every one of us has a role to play in the makeup of our friends and our children.

They also say that the family is dead in society today, a fact not lost on countless pundits who deem to express their opinions on a mind-numbing basis.  For us to survive we must block out the white noises we hear from all sides and to come to a place where the only voice we hear is God’s.  With our busy schedules, it can be a daunting task but we must make the time to sit and reflect.  He speaks to us in whispers and in the eyes of our children and we need to be ready for His message.

It is not for us judge one another but to understand.  The next time you argue with your spouse or son or daughter or neighbor or friend, think of the power of three simple words ‘I forgive you’ – words that can change a world.  It is together that God unites us in a bond that no one can take away.  We are blessed to have the support and love of our family, let us pass that on to others who seem to be struggling in society. 

So much of the way we react to unfamiliar environments is built into our human nature.  We are afraid of people and things that are different from ourselves and rather than to try and understand, we mock and ridicule.  Our self-righteousness can be something that drives us away from learning about others.  God sets each person on par with one another, not to separate but to bring us closer together as a family, in love, in peace and in harmony.  Much like music, it gives us a better appreciation for what we have and for those less fortunate. 

A family is made up of many different things.  It is a group of almost anything the mind can comprehend.  It reminds me of the poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow entitled ‘Sermon of Saint Francis’.  Father tries to teach a flock of birds about the wonders of God. The birds flock to Saint Francis's parish every day to ask for food, and it is then that Saint Francis teaches them of these things. Although he does not believe that the birds understand him, Francis is able to bring himself peace by doing this.

By acts of kindness to those things or people we cannot fathom, we are bringing ourselves closer to what Christ had envisioned.  He wanted a world in which a life was so important that we could not conceive of any other kind of world.  His was a life of sacrifice, a sacrifice so important that He gave his very life.  When you give something up you love for the sake of another, do it for the right reasons.  Do it because you cannot imagine doing anything else.  Do it because your soul tells you it is right.  Give for your family, friends and to a people you don’t even know.  Do it because it is what makes your heart full, but, most importantly, do it for love.  For love is all we have in the end and it will be the greatest reward we will ever receive, overshadowed by God’s forgiving grace and gleaming light. 

May God bless you and keep you.  May God bless our family, our Christian family, for the strength and character to survive.  May the wind be forever at your backs and May His peace be with you, always.