A Reflection by Jerome Leo, OSB
22 March 2020
It is terribly important for families to eat together. St. Benedict knew this 1,500 years ago and things have not changed that much in human nature since his time. The links between family members (whether in a monastery community or a traditional family) are restored at a shared meal. Small wonder that Jesus left us a meal as His legacy to remember Him by and to unite us all.
I can hear the groans that schedules conflict with shared meals. How can this routine be possible? I assure you that I do not know, especially since I don't know all the ins and outs of anyone's personal situation. I do know, however, that a family meal is so important that it must be worked into one's life somehow.
Sometimes we need to get a firm grip on what is most important. That might mean we have to help our children get real, as well. Being children, they ought not to be expected to have a tool kit capable of enabling any and all decisions on their own. I know and love one family whose football and gymnastics schedules ruin much of the year. I worry about them, I truly do.
The parents of this family make at least a better than average attempt to go to Church, but I am in no way certain that survives the sports seasons. Hey, I know kids get invested and I know it is hard to say no, but sports on Sunday in lieu of church and family time? They plead that God can wait but football can't! Not only is this a terrible religious message, but it is a very false message being given to each of the young athletes as well: the world revolves around you. Everything stops when you have a game. Well, not exactly, nor is that the best idea to turn a kid loose on the world with.
Reclaiming Sunday is not some hyped up idea. It is Christian. Our faith itself demands that we get rest and some time together, hopefully for prayer! It would seem that, if one was to be firm anywhere, on any day of the week, Sunday might be the place to start. Frankly, if the child gripes that everyone else does it, this would offer a particularly apt time to convey the message that we are not like everyone else, nor are we supposed to be. That's part of being Christian.
Heavens, my Jewish friends grew up with a far better sense
of who they were than many Christian (or post-Christian!) kids
get today. And their Sabbath was SATURDAY. Now that cut
into more than a few things. But there was a great, great lesson
available there for those kids. Pity the ones who missed it.
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Note: This Reflection has been slightly edited by the NationsUniversity
Chaplain. Any misrepresentations are his alone. Chaplain Allen
(chaplain@nationsu.edu)