What is family to you?

Is it defined by bloodlines or is it defined by God?

St. Paul said, “Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family …” 1 Thessalonians 4:10-11

Who do you believe is part of God’s family?

God’s plan was for all people to form one family with God, our Creator, being acknowledged and loved as God Our Father.

We were all created in the image of God:

“When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created.” Genesis 5:1-2

What is happening to God’s family on earth?

When you consider the violence and divisions which separate people we are clearly not behaving as though we are all part of God’s family.

I remember teaching a group of children who were 8 years old about Jesus and the fact that we are all part of God’s family. So one little boy said, “Well if we are all one family, then we should love one another.” Children can sometimes embrace the most important truths with such ease and simplicity, whereas adults seem to struggle.

There have been times in history when there was terrible violence between Catholics and Protestants. Why?

Both Catholics and Protestants believe in Jesus Christ. Both Catholics and Protestants are Christians, yet divisions in our Christian faith resulted in horrible violence.

Can we still call ourselves people of faith if we use violence to resolve our differences?

It is not God’s will that we resolve differences in faith (or any other matter) through violence, yet even today we see violence being waged in religious disputes.

Faith and the Will of God

As a global community of various faiths let’s come to a broad common understanding about God’s will for all people.

Let us resolve to act as one family that respects and cares for one another, regardless of our religious views.

Even in a small family defined by bloodlines we often find people of various religious beliefs and views. Generally those people agree to disagree on issues; typically violence is not the general outcome.

Our global family must be based NOT on bloodlines, or religious beliefs, it must be based on LOVE!

p.s. I am not suggesting you renounce your Christian faith, but are Christians truly pleasing to God if we only love other Christians?

God wills for all people to love one another, to help one another and to guard the dignity of each human being, irrespective of religious views, gender, ethnicity, age etc. Let’s commit to that and let’s pray for one another everyday.

Fellow Christians may there never be another time in history when violence is used to resolve our differences. Everyday when the clock strikes 3pm, let’s stop to remember the violence Our Holy Lord endured to save us. Three o’clock is the time Jesus died on the Cross to pay the price of our sins and to open the gates of Paradise to us. Let’s bow our heads to remember Jesus each day at 3pm in our local time zones and at this time let’s pray for the mercy of Our Saviour Jesus Christ upon all members of our global family, especially those most in need of God’s mercy.

One day in the peace and sanctity of Heaven we will live in full communion with God and one another, let’s start working towards that goal here on earth as we love and respect the dignity of all people.

We love you Jesus!