You know you're in a big family when:
One of your children looks wistfully at the newborn and asks you, "Can't you have another baby really soon? I hardly get to hold this one because everybody else is taking turns".
Your husband sighs happily, "I've finally got my dream car", and it's a used 15 passenger van.
It takes a wonderfully long time to hug and kiss everybody.
A large family has in it the blueprint of God's plan of salvation. There is strength in numbers: more people to love you, more people to pray for you, more people to give you a sense of belonging.
We have just described the Church Jesus established. It is our family. And in a larger sense the Communion of Saints is the same family. I recently experienced the consoling and supporting power of this larger family.
At a dark hour after my surgery I prayed for strength; the strength to accept whatever I was being given. The plans to quick recovery seemed to stall and things can look bleak in the dark night when you are in pain.
I prayed to family members in the Communion of Saints and was at the same time receiving prayers of many family and friends. It struck me like a vision: grace and light thrilled towards me, giving me strength and lifting me out of the darkness.
In the light of day and later reflection I see family in all its wonderful array. The Christian family I embrace shares much love and support. It is much larger than the Church I worship in.
The door to family is always open: Thanksgiving, Christmas, weddings, reunions Family love goes on. Family life has in it the blueprint for successful marriage as well.
It boggles my mind that so many marriages break up, sometimes years after having lived as a family. That original love which started the union, where has it gone? Now is the time when the couple should be celebrating in gratitude that they have shared such a love that often was blessed with children.
Forever grateful for love shared is expressed so aptly in a song by Bette Midler:
Let the world stop turning,
Let the sun stop burning,
Let them tell me love's not worth going through.
If it all falls apart,
I will know deep in my heart,
The only dream that mattered had come true
...In this life I was loved by you.
The love of husband and wife plays such a critical role in God's plan of salvation that Jesus compared this union to the faithful love of God for the Church. We are wedded in love to Christ, who is forever faithful. We may stray from this union, but Jesus does not.
It is a wonderful thing that all of us belong to this family of love through our baptism. How big is your family? Big enough that there is always someone to love you and pray for you. You are always welcome at the family celebrations. The door is always open.
