聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Some family trees have beautiful leaves. Ours has a few nuts.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But there is nothing I would change.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Some of my favourite family tree humour includes: I think my ancestors had several 鈥渂ad heir鈥� days, after I die my Facebook status should read 鈥淚s visiting with ancestors,鈥� and, the witness protection program explains why I can鈥檛 find some relatives.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In December, I was driving uptown about dusk when I saw the most beautiful Christmas tree decorations. The tops of the tall spruce trees were glowing in gold. This was something artificial lights could not attempt.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I thanked God for outdoing all the decoration attempts in town. The setting sun somehow broke through the cloudy afternoon and blessed me with this beauty and inspiration.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Some days later I was observing family members entering Queen鈥檚 House Retreat Chapel for our midnight mass New Year鈥檚 gathering. I saw branches of the family assemble in the rows of seats. There were newlyweds and expectant mothers, grandparents and grandchildren.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The family tree is a rich symbol. If you stretch out your arms you can touch the branches. Our tree is more than 100 years old and the foliage is thick and expansive near the bottom.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The uppermost branches are bare and white, reaching into heaven. These sentinels point the way; the direction all the growth is going. Every branch tip is pointing upwards. The Communion of Saints comes to mind.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 There is a spiritual dimension to the Christ-centred family: 鈥淚 am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.鈥� (John 15:5)
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As I looked around at my family tree I realized how rich and blessed we all are. Money is insignificant here. Only membership and witness are important. And for the next hour and a half everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, shared the blessings and news of the past year.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 After our prayerful celebration I realized more of the graces that being family includes. A niece asked me, 鈥淗ow did your parents pass on their spiritual values? How did they witness? Can you tell us more about their life stories?鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I remember my parents鈥� faith when they faced the challenges of life, like the death of a loved one. When financial worries surfaced, faith was there. All through the bumps and bruises of living they clung to their prayer lives and their spiritual commitments.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The daily family rosary was always a chance to assess the events of the day and a chance to realize the workings of grace. 鈥淎nd lead us not into temptation鈥� meant the same in German. 鈥淗oly Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.鈥� We knew Mary was our companion through life.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Gratitude and thanksgiving were always part of our family. At weddings, funerals and important celebrations our elders would always celebrate with song: 鈥淗oly God we praise thy name鈥︹��
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 There are many young shoots springing up in our family tree. May they be protected by the shade we offer and the roots that ground us to this tree started in Russia so many years ago.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Faith is caught in so many ways, sometimes including the quiet witness of everyday faithfulness.
