LESS THAN PERFECT?

LESS THAN PERFECT? Jesus was PART Of the PERFECT human family Along with Mary and Joseph But I am SURE It didn't always feel perfect They felt ALL the SAME Trials and tribulations That all FAMILIES do But ALWAYS=what made them perfect Was there LOVE for each other And love for all of MANKIND “........the ANGEL Of the Lord-APPEARED to Joseph ….....and said: 'RISE-take the child and his mother FLEE to Egypt And stay there UNTIL I tell you” Matthew 2:13 WHEN we think of FAMILY we think of security-and COMFORT- And love NOT a crisis=like this=fleeing to Egypt But all families-ENCOUNTER- The trials and tribulations of life But what makes a FAMILY thrive Is love-LOVE- In all circumstances LESS than perfect-was The HOLY FAMILY-by life's standards But PERFECT in love When I think of my own family My parents (even my grandparents), my sisters, and EVEN my extended family There has ALWAYS been LOVE Even in the most difficult Of circumstances Love NEVER FAILS Love RISES to the occasion And it never failed The HOLY FAMILY (Not even in death) “MAY your unfailing love Come to me Your salvation According to your promise” Psalm 119:41 “LOVE does not delight- In evil-but REJOICES With the truth It ALWAYS protects It always trusts Always HOPES Always perseveres LOVE NEVER FAILS” 1 Corinthians 13:6-8 LESS THAN PERFECT-in the world But PERFECT in love The way God WANTS us to be That IS what the Holy Family was- That's what my family is- That is what ALL GOOD Thriving families are BASED ON LOVE Mary-Joseph-Jesus- Are RUNNING for their lives To Egypt-no less A foreign country With unfamiliar customs-and- A different religion WHAT did they encounter? What do the families of today encounter? Death? Loss of jobs? Broken relationships? Health difficulties? LOVE SURVIVES-even thrives- OUR FAMILES too FACE all kinds of setbacks We face death in our families- We FACE financial setbacks We face illness and all kinds of issues Maybe addictions-depression And who KNOWS what else Our FAMILIES are LESS than perfect- Because people-are less than perfect Jesus knew chaos and uncertainty FACES families-because His family EXPERIENCED It all His family SURVIVED Because THEIR LOVE was perfect And you know what OUR FAMILY will survive too (And so will yours) Because WE have patterned OUR LOVE-after the love OF THE HOLY FAMILY THE FAMILY OF LOVE Robert P. Wallman 12-29-16 Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sr. Melannie Svoboda, S.N.D. TODAY-DECEMBER 30th, 2016-is the feast of THE HOLY FAMILY