Posted on: June 5, 2018

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B - FIGHTING FOR YOUR FAMILY Mk.3:20-21

Notice I didn’t say “Fighting WITH Your Family”! You probably don’t need any help on how to do that. Your Family is worth fighting for, so find out how to fight. I am not denying the fact that families come with its complexities; a difficult relationship, divorce, separation, one feeling neglected by the other, raising a sick child, dealing with a difficult child, betrayal, death etc.

If we are looking for an ideal family, we would probably want to turn to the bible for one, but the bible is littered with stories of many messed up families. The next obvious place to look at would be Jesus family right? But am sorry No.

In today’s Gospel we saw how Jesus’ own family thought he was mad and came to get him. John 7:5 tells us that even his family were the first to doubt his mission and challenged him to prove his worth.

SO EVEN JESUS DIDN’T HAVE A PERFECT FAMILY! AND THAT’S MY FIRST POINT TODAY....

1)    THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PERFECT FAMILY
o    That should be a relief to everyone in this church. Look at 3rd Chapter in the bible, we see the first argument between a husband and his wife (Adam & Eve). As early as that! Then in Chapter 4 we see the first sibling rivalry which leads to the first murder case.
o    The bible has some messed up families and we have some messed families as well.  As much as we want to have that sweet Happy family, so soon do we realize that there is no such thing as a PERFECT FAMILY.

2)    ONLY FAMILIES THAT LIVE BY GODLY PRINCIPLES SURVIVE AND THRIVE 
o    If I were to ask you “what does it take to have a successful family?”, every attribute you could name would be an attribute from God. For example “love”, “forgiveness”, “peace”One famous Father understood that it takes Godly principles for a family to survive and thrive. 
o    MOTHER TERESA SAID “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” 
o    Many of you have heard this bold statement by Joshua and some have it on a plaque in front of their home “I and my house, we are going to serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Joshua understood that it doesn’t take perfection to make a great family, but it does take God! 
THIS LEADS ME TO MY THIRD POINT

3)    IT DOESN’T TAKE PERFECTION TO MAKE A GREAT FAMILY, BUT IT DOES TAKE WORK 
o    I LOVE WHAT COMEDIAN GEORGE BURNS SAID ABOUT FAMILY... “Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.” 
o    Building a family take hard work; being a parent takes work; teaching, guiding and disciplining our children takes work. (Article on the silent tragedy developing in our homes – mental health occasioned by the challenges shaped by environmental factors that parents provide to their children)
o    Being a good brother/sister takes work; being a grandparent takes work; being a father-in-law or daughter-in-law takes work; interacting with annoying family members takes work.

CONCLUSION
SO HERE IS MY QUESTION FOR YOU......HOW MANY OF YOU ARE AT LEAST WILLING TO WORK ON YOUR FAMILIES?