Thank You to the Synod on the Family!

I cannot put into words the joy I felt reading the Final Message that the bishops who attended the recent Synod on the Family sent to families all over the world.

I was especially moved when I read that in the first paragraph the bishops expressed their admiration and gratitude to the families of every continent, in particular those who follow Christ, the way, the truth and the life, for the daily witness they offer the Church and the world through their faithfulness, their faith, their hope and their love.

It was truly moving to read that paragraph, because all of us who have a family and are Christians know how hard it is today to live as Christian families, as practicing Catholics, in a world that calls us to comfort, to pleasure, to materialism, to closing ourselves to life, to infidelity, to living with our backs turned on others…

The bishops, too, have experienced firsthand the great challenges facing the Christian family. But those challenges need not stop us in our determination to overcome difficulties and fulfill God’s plan for each of us.

As I read the message, which I admit brought a few tears of emotion to my eyes, I immediately thought of Venezuelan families. We have lived through moments of serious difficulty, but they have brought us closer to God and made us more attentive to our own families and to other families. We know that the drama we are living in our country cannot be compared with countries at war, but we have lived through moments of great difficulty that have taught us the great value of the family, of the unity of its members, of praying together as a family, of solidarity and of watching out for those who need us most.

I am infinitely grateful to the bishops for their message of open arms to everyone. That is what our Holy Church must be: a welcoming place for everyone, because God is waiting for all of us, to embrace us, to love us… And God’s mercy is infinite; He wants us to seek him, find him and follow his way.

When the bishops list and describe the many problems families face throughout the world, we understand how important it is to pray for all our brothers and sisters in the faith. And for those who are fortunate enough to live very well, as the document says, the culture of comfort must not anesthetize us. We must never forget those beside us who are having a hard time. We can never forget our beloved brothers and sisters who are living through terrible tragedies.

A thousand thanks to the bishops for their beautiful description of marriage and the family! They speak of the light that shines at dusk behind the windows of homes in the cities, in the modest houses on the outskirts and in villages, and even in very precarious dwellings, a light that warms bodies and souls. In the spouses’ commitment, they say, that light is kindled by the encounter between them: a gift, a grace, expressed, as Genesis says, when the two stand face to face as a fitting helper for each other. The love of a man and a woman teaches us that each needs the other to become fully himself or herself, while remaining distinct, and they recall the words of the bride in the Song of Songs: “My beloved is mine and I am his.”

And thank you for speaking to us about the importance of courtship. The bishops explain that the path to an authentic encounter begins with courtship, a time of waiting and preparation, and reaches its fullness in the sacrament of marriage, where God sets his seal, his presence and his grace. This path also includes sexuality, tenderness and beauty, which last beyond the strength and freshness of youth. Love by its very nature tends to be forever, even to giving one’s life for the beloved. In this light, they say, married love, one and indissoluble, endures despite the many difficulties of human limitation, and is one of the most beautiful miracles, even though it is also the most common.

How beautiful it is to read that last phrase: married love, one and indissoluble, is one of the most beautiful miracles, though also the most common. And so it is. Many of us have seen it with our own eyes, in so many couples married 40, 50, 60 or 70 years. Of course it can be done! Even in the 21st century it can be done. Because with God’s grace, and with the support and counsel of our pastors, yes, it can be done! And that is the best example for our children, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren.

And a thousand thanks to the bishops for reminding us of the beauty of human and spiritual fruitfulness! They write that this love spreads naturally through fruitfulness, which is not only procreation but also the gift of divine life in baptism and the education and catechesis of children; it is also the capacity to give life, affection and values, something possible even for those who cannot have children. Families who live this luminous adventure, they say, become a witness for everyone, especially for young people.

As the bishops say near the end, along this journey, which is sometimes a mountain path with weariness and falls, God’s presence and companionship are always there, and the family experiences it in the affection and dialogue between husband and wife, between parents and children, between brothers and sisters.

Many Venezuelan families are living this, having realized that our problems have united us more closely with our spouses, our parents and our children. Problems have made us mature as families, as Catholics, as responsible citizens of our homeland, as better children of God…

And we have learned that faith is a fundamental pillar for not losing our joy and for having patience, fortitude and hope… The bishops also speak of the family gathering to listen to the Word of God and pray together, in a small oasis of the spirit that can be created for a moment each day, and of the daily effort to educate in the faith and in the good and beautiful life of the Gospel, in holiness. Thousands of Venezuelan families have turned family prayer, going to Mass and praying the holy rosary into an oasis for the spirit, and grandfathers and grandmothers have been fundamental in this. The bishops note that this mission is often shared by grandparents with great affection and dedication, so that the family becomes a true domestic Church, opening onto that family of families that is the Church community, and that Christian spouses are called to be teachers of faith and love for young couples.

And we can say with immense joy that in Venezuela the churches are full to overflowing on Sundays. Here a great many Catholics of all ages go to Mass on Sunday, because they know what the bishops recall: that the summit that gathers up all the threads of communion with God and neighbor is the Sunday Eucharist, when the family, with the whole Church, sits at table with the Lord, who gives himself to all of us, pilgrims through history toward the final encounter, when Christ will be all in all.

What a great gift our bishops have given to all the families of the world! A thousand thanks for such a wonderful message, which encourages us to keep going, with our trials and difficulties, and with the help of God and Most Holy Mary! And a thousand thanks for the prayer you have given us, which we will put up in our homes to pray every day with our grandparents, parents and children.

A thousand thanks to this Synod, which we know will bear great fruit, the great fruit of the Holy Spirit, who guides the barque of the Church!

Here is the prayer, which many of us surely already have and have prayed, in my own translation:

“We too, joining the family of Nazareth, raise our plea to the Father of all for the families of the earth:

Father, give all families the presence of strong and wise spouses, who may be the source of a free and united family.

Father, give parents a home where they can live in peace with their family.

Father, grant that children may be signs of trust and hope, and give young people the courage of a stable and faithful commitment.

Father, help everyone to earn their bread with their own hands, to taste serenity of spirit and to keep the flame of faith alive even in times of darkness.

Father, give us the joy of seeing a Church flourish that is ever more faithful and credible, a just and humane city, a world that loves truth, justice and mercy.”

A thousand thanks to the Pope! A thousand thanks to the cardinals and bishops! A thousand thanks to everyone who took part in this first part of the Synod on the Family! We will keep praying fervently so that Catholic married couples all over the world may meet the challenges of this 21st century, following the wonderful path Jesus Christ taught us! Thank you to our pastors for being there to guide our steps! Long live Jesus Christ! Long live the Pope! Long live our Holy Catholic Church! Long live the families of the whole world!