As soon as Jesus and the others left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
Mark 1:29-31
NOW
The Renewed Call to Family
God of all creation,
in your great love,
you weave together
the lives of families
from generation to generation,
those connected by blood
and those connected by other bonds.
Together each family creates a
complex tapestry of stories—
of heartache
and of healing;
of griefs
and of graces.
I ask you to lift up those families
who are suffering
from division, absence,
or any other kind of pain.
Hold tenderly those people
who feel called to family life
but are struggling
to find meaningful connections.
Strengthen each of us
in our care for our family members
and the most vulnerable.
Strengthen us to be witnesses
to the healing power
of Christ your Son.
Amen.
- Is your family more a source of delight to you, or more a source of frustration to you? Explain.
- How does your calling to “family” strengthen or challenge your other callings?
- Our calling to family changes over the seasons of life—what is your current calling to family asking of you that is different from before? Explain.
- What’s one thing about your practice of “familying” you’d like to do differently, and why?