Monday 30 April 2012

"Be like a watered garden" BXVI

At the Regina Caeli on Sunday, the Pope called on every community "to be like a watered garden where they can germinate and grow all the seeds which God sows in abundance" and "in particular families are the primary place in which the love of God 'breathes'..."

Over the last weekend I have been away in London celebrating a family member's wedding liturgy. The Pope's words came via Youtube as I reflected on the importance of family in the life of the church. It has also been on my mind as I have been writing an essay on Canon Law with particular reference to Catholic education and the Church's understanding that parents are the primary educators because they are the ones who bring offspring to life.

The gift of our maleness or femaleness is a great mystery but goes to the very heart of what it is to be a human being and not least amongst these mysteries is the propensity to be fruitful and to multiply (I think no one at the wedding could have accused me on this occasion of not practising what I preached!) . It is also at the heart of our struggle to retain our nation's understanding of what marriage is, and what is at its heart.

I am currently also writing a short essay on the fear of overpopulation - this time for my own enjoyment and to get my thoughts straight. But again how crucial it is to understand this crucial of matters in the light of what God reveals, rather than according to the opinions of men. How easy it seems for human beings, devoid of God's inspiration , to regard children as only a problem (or even a curse) rather than a blessing.



Reflections on Worship in Sacrifice