“Today we begin a short course of
reflection on three dimensions that beat the time, so to speak, of the rhythm
of family life: celebration, work and prayer….God Himself teaches us the
importance of dedicating a time to contemplate and enjoy what was well done in
work….a true time of celebration halts professional work and is sacred, because
it reminds man and woman that they are made in the image of God, who is not a
slave of work, but Lord; therefore, we also must never be slaves of work, but ‘lords’….Finally,
the time of celebration is sacred because God dwells in it in a special way.
The Sunday Eucharist brings to a celebration all the grace of Jesus Christ: His
presence, His love, His sacrifice, His making us community, His being with us
... And in this way every reality receives its full meaning: work, family, the
joys and efforts of every day, also suffering and death; everything is
transfigured by the grace of Christ. The
family is endowed with an extraordinary capacity to understand, direct and
sustain the genuine value of the time of celebration. But how lovely are the
celebrations in the family, they are most beautiful! – and, in particular,
those of Sunday. It is no accident that the celebrations in which there is
place for the whole family are those that succeed better! Family life itself,
looked at with the eyes of faith, seems better than the efforts it costs. It
seems a masterpiece of simplicity, good precisely because it is not artificial,
or false, but able to incorporate in itself all the aspects of a true life. It
appears as something ‘very good,’ as God says at the end of the creation of man
and of woman (cf. Genesis 1:31). Therefore, a celebration is a
precious gift of God; a precious gift that God has made to the human family:
let’s not ruin it!” (Pope
Francis, 8/12/15 General Audience)
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The 10 Commandments
The Beatitudes (from "Jesus of Nazareth")
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