familia

My sons and I spent Thanksgiving week with my family down in the San Antonio area and it was tremendous (my beautiful wife had to stay home due to work).  I love the San Antonio area and all that it reminds me of, but I’m more impressed and proud of my mom and brothers because they enrich my soul.  My brothers mean more to me now than they ever have.  We’ve had our struggles together and individually, but they are still my brothers, and now that they have families it is even clearer how much I value, admire and love them.

All our kids had such a blast with each other it was refreshing to my soul just watching them play.  My brothers have done well for themselves when it comes to careers, family and life, but their greatest achievements are in who they have become as men.  When we were kids we didn’t think of these things.  Life was about playing and picking on each other.  Or blaming the other for something each of us did.

Today, I see how our past has shaped us as men.  We owe a lot of who we have become to our wonderful mom.  She was basically a single mom with three strong-willed boys, and she did all she could to make ends meet.  Her love and compassion for people are instilled us.  Growing up I always wondered why it was she would give up caring for her needs to take care of us and others.  Well, she is a true picture of a loving servant.  Only Jesus was a better servant than her.

I love my family more today than I ever have.  While we are not wealthy in finances or other riches, we are wealthy in love, mercy, grace and hope.  I’m proud of my family and the joy they bring to my heart.  As life presses forward so does our faith and our hope…in God and each other.  I look forward to the next time we come together to enjoy each others triumphs, console each other through our troubles, and carry each others burdens with prayer.  That, my friends, is what family is about.  Is that not what the Church should be as well?