Families are for caring

Significant day

Recently I was an honored guest at an eight-year-old’s First Communion. He was well aware of the significance of this special occasion, and basked in the approval of teachers, peers, and family as he accepted God into his life.

The priest’s sermon extolled family. He told us that what we do is more important than what we say – a wonderful launching point for discussing the many opportunities parents have for character building by example. But the sermon took a different direction – that parents should not just talk about church, but actually bring the children to church. He said at their church they were all one family who cared for each other.

His words struck me as a worthy aspiration for every church family – to care for one another.

I immediately thought of my own church family – of individuals who are hunters and gatherers. They hunt for those who need nurturing, and gather them into their arms – literally and figuratively. They find ways to include them and to make them feel useful and appreciated.

I’m not real good at that, so those who spot and utilize these opportunities for compassionate caring hold a special place of awe approaching sainthood in my heart.

There are other unsung saints as well. One church member just donated a kidney to a high school classmate who was having trouble finding a match. Would every Christian Scientist do this? Probably not. But it was his way of being family to a stranger who had now become a friend. It was incredibly selfless, compassionate, and generous. He says simply that Christian Scientists and doctors share a common goal – healing. And the donation was his contribution.

Every family should be known for such caring for one another.