WORD ALIVE

An elementary school teacher was telling her class about statistics which indicate that more twins are being born these days than in the past.

"Why?" asked a little boy.

"Because," replied a tiny girl, "little children are afraid to come into the world alone."

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That is a very smart remark. With the threat to obstruct birth by means of abortion and artificial contraceptives, with the prospect of broken families, indeed children fear coming out into the world alone.

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From the beginning God intended that there be a place for parental love, care and affection beginning with infancy when an individual is helpless, a place where he finds warmth and security, where he can make mistakes, where he can grow, where he can be accepted.

In short, God intended a family.

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Right after Christmas day, we celebrate the feast of the HOLY FAMILY -- that of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Although Son of God, Jesus became a human child; he grew up in a family. For this, God sanctified the human family.

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The family, as the basic unit of society, ought to be the origin of change in society.

If you cannot find the Christian values of honesty, justice, kindness, charity there, you cannot expect to find these outside. For the family is a microcosm of society.

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Despite their human frailties, parents should constantly strive to show good example.

Today the sacredness and stability of the Filipino family is under grave threat.

Due to the economic hardship, families are vulnerable to family break-ups and infidelities with the husband, for instance, working abroad or the mother employed as domestic helper in Hong Kong, Italy, or other countries worldwide.

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Among affluent families, parental presence and supervision are sorely lacking. So absorbed in business and socials, parents have little time for their children. Somebody remarked, “Many homes nowadays have three shifts. Father is on the night shift; mother is on the day shift, and the children shift for themselves.” Obviously, during this critical time of COVID-19 pandemic, families have to stay at home.

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PARENTS, ASK YOURSELVES: Are you aware that raising good Christian children is your primary task and vocation or, God’s plan for you? Do you have quality time for your children and family bonding? In one family recollection I facilitated, a young participant said in the group sharing, “The happiest moment in our family is when we are together and happy.” * * * The deepest joy that parents experience is the delicate task of bringing up their children and seeing them walk the right path.

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THE LIGHTER SIDE. A teacher in Religious Education told her pupils to make a drawing on a sheet of paper about the Holy Family. When the teacher collected the papers, there was one particular drawing which immensely amused her.

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It was titled, “Flight to Egypt,” and the illustration was an airplane with Jesus, Mary and Joseph as passengers. “And who is that one in front of the plane”? the teacher asked. The pupil replied, “Ma’m, of course, that’s Pontious the PILOT!” * * * One morning, a husband complained that their helper robbed them of a towel when she ran away. The wife said: “People nowadays have no more moral values. Which towel did she run off?” The husband replied: “The one with the logo ‘Holiday Inn.’” The helper got the wrong value. Parents and leaders should always teach by good example.

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GIVE LOVE. In the spirit of Christmas, let’s reach out to the victims of super-typhoon Odette. Send donation in cash or kind to authorized distribution centers.

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Kindly help, also, some indigent sick I’m helping: Marylou M., Jacky L. sick of severe asthma, vulnerable to COVID; five-year-old leukemia patient Alison Lira.

For inquiry, e-mail me at: [email protected].