A word from Fr Jaybee

Belongingness Greetings of peace brothers and sisters... Last night, I was watching a television show, featuring one of the well-known musical bands from the 70’s and 80’s. What was striking was the fact that the band didn’t only focus on composing songs, writing the lyrics, the tunes and delivering the songs to beautifully touch or capture the hearts of music lovers; they also focused on how to strengthen their relationship and camaraderie as members of what they called family. Some of their songs captured their experience of joy and the enjoyment not only of music but also in their experience of bountiful love, care, concern and support being expressed from a few significant words in one of their famous song like the words: I’ve been so lucky, what a life, what a joy and what a chance. The covid-19 pandemic helped us to realise the importance and value of people around us and of relationships when we were separated under the community quarantine and isolation restrictions. Sometimes we take for granted the relationships and people we love. We are so engrossed in the material aspects of our society that we get tempted to believe that having possessions will make our life better. Therefore, we work hard day and night, in order to possess the material things, which we think important. Consequently, how many family members especially children have suffered from the absence of one or both parents? In the whole New Testament Jesus invites us all to follow him and live as one family, just as he asked his disciples to go to all nations, proclaim the gospel of love and baptise people. This means that even Jesus longed that we become one big family. In our own experience, we witness heaps of families who live happily together because of love, care, concern and understanding, and not by possessions. Maybe we can provide the best material things to our families, but it’s beyond compare when we can provide the basic needs and also embrace them with care, understanding and love; so that they may feel that they are precious and important. Then, each one will realise and feel that YES, we belong to the same family/community. God bless us all...