Faithfulness

"Do you also want to leave?"

Jesus' question to his disciples is telling, especially when the gospel reminds us that many returned to their former lives after hearing him speak about his body being real food, real flesh.  From time to time, most believers want to turn away from the Christ. His demands are too great or too confusing. His ministers serve in ways that confound and even scandalize, and too often the most devout show little concern for others, especially the poor.

None of these temptations is new or unique. The body of Christ is weak and broken. The church acknowledges this when she reminds us that the sacrament of reconciliation is a gift to heal a church that while good, is always in need of forgiveness and renewal.

Sometimes it also helps to remember that though each of us can be difficult to live with, we trust that our friends and companions in faith will look beyond our faults and not abandon us. Without doubt we are a broken, bruised and dysfunctional family, but God has never abandoned us. In the light of God's faithfulness, we should never abandon one another.

Today, look at yourself in the mirror and accept what you see.

How do you live well and peacefully despite the dysfunction in your own family?