Hugs for Peace

Last week the “Family Hug” campaign took place throughout the country. The National Family Department of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference has held it every year since 1990.

This year’s slogan was “My family, builder of Peace.” The aim is that throughout the year “the family deepen and promote the culture of peace, becoming places where the values that foster healthy coexistence among all its members are taught, learned and lived properly, values that are then reflected in other settings such as the community, the school, the workplace and the parish.”

The topics covered this year, on which the campaign offers clear and practical guidance for families and educators, were: 1) God, source of Peace for every person; 2) Peace begins at home; 3) Four agreements for living together in Peace; 4) Dialogue, participation and solidarity: values for building Peace; and 5) How to foster Peace from my family, at school and in the community. The full material is available at www.pastoralfamiliarvenezuela.org

I hope many families will put into practice at home the wise guidance offered in this valuable material. In this way we will be able to live peace in our homes and then radiate a culture of peace to the world around us (school, community, work and so on). Without a doubt, that is the best way to help sow Peace in our beloved country.

Below I share with you a beautiful text (which each of us can put into practice this very day) published at the end of the Facilitator’s Guide for this excellent campaign:

“When we hug… we give ourselves; a hug expresses by itself our feelings toward the other.

A hug between spouses is like saying: I love you, I need you, forgive my selfishness and the times I do not give you the attention you deserve.

A hug for a small child is like letting them feel the tenderness they inspire in us; we pass on to them the security and affection they need.

A hug for a young son or daughter is like saying: we love you as you are. Forgive us if we do not understand all your concerns. You can always count on us!

A child’s hug for their parents says: I know how much you love me, and even if I don’t always show it, I love you very much too.

A hug between brothers and sisters says: I truly love you, you are important to me. I share your sorrows and your joys… count on me!

A hug shared by spouses, children and siblings all at once is the highest expression of love and of communication, dialogue and reconciliation.

Hence the importance of the FAMILY HUG.

When we hug relatives who have grown old, we let them feel the tenderness they inspire and pass on to them the security and affection they so need at their age, just like the youngest child; and if the hug is between elderly brothers and sisters, let us bless the ‘Lord of Lords.’

A hug makes the days happier and the unbearable days more bearable… let us give each other a family hug.”