CFC SINGLES FOR CHRIST CHAPTER TEACHING MANUAL

SFC Family Evangelization

FAMILY MATTERS
“So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself
over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2

I. INTRODUCTION

If we take a look back at our personal history we would be surprised to know that most of it
will speak about our very own family - our experience with them. Most of our memorable
moments of our lives were about them. More so, they are our great influencer. Look at your
beliefs, manners, traditions and values.

There’s an old saying that says, “You can choose your friends, but you cannot choose your
family.” God gave you your parents, father, mother and siblings. They are yours. Even if you
have a broken family or your family is too much complicated, they are your family. When God
gave that to you, He has a standing policy – No exchange. No return. They are yours for life.

II. CREATED FOR A PURPOSE / FAMILY MATTERS

When God creates, He creates with a purpose. He has a reason for everything He creates. He
created us for the purpose of Him loving us. Furthermore, we are created to be part of family. In
Hebrew 2:10 it says, “For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in
bringing many children to glory.”

Your family is part of His plan. He put you there for a reason. It doesn’t matter whether your
parents or siblings are good or bad. You may have a dysfunctional family but it doesn’t cancel
His purpose for you in that family.

Every person is born into a family. It doesn’t matter what your social status is, color of your
skin, your nationality, we all belong to a family. The family plays a crucial role in God’s plan.
The family is the very foundation of God’s creation. To prove that, He let Himself born into one.
When God revealed Himself to us through His Son, He came to us through a family. He grew up
in the family. He first experience how it is to love and be loved in the family. He learned most of
his ‘firsts’ in the family. It occupies a special place in His heart. The family matters to God.
Simply put, our family is our first community. Our Catholic Church even called our family as
domestic church (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1656). Within the family is the best place to
learn about our faith and love others the way God loves. It’s a place where the Lord gathers us,
teaches us, forms us. Our family is a place where our schooling begins. CHAPTER TEACHING MANUAL

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III. UNDER ATTACK

However, since time immemorial, families have been under attack by the evil one. He seeks to
destroy the very fabric of society. He knows that his work will be a lot easier if he can
successfully destroy family.

What God loves, Satan hates. We are under attack.

(Note: speaker should share own experiences within his family)

Redefining the meaning and composition of a family

Increasing number of children born out of wedlock
Spousal abuse
Violence against children
Absentee parent
Sibling fight
The revolution of values within our culture
Rapid pace of social change
Divorce and separation are on the rise
Burdened by the economic demands
Technology provides easy access to media that is contradicting to God’s values
Racial, cultural and even religious discrimination
Security issues (conflict and war)
Let us also look into ourselves as to what is preventing us from having this ideal relationship
with our family.
How am I treating my father/mother?
Am I grateful for all the sacrifices they’ve done for me?
How’s my relationship (if there’s any) with my siblings?
All these are taking a heavy toll in the family. We need to stand up and fight the good fight. We
are to defend our families. No matter what our families are facing right now, we are to hope.
God is not yet with us. Our love for every member of our family is our weapon. Our prayer for
them is our shield. Our faith in God is our source of unity. It sounds simple, but it takes a lot of
time and hard work.

IV. NEVER GIVE UP

It is unavoidable among family members to fall short in loving and understanding each other.
There will be conflicts, tensions, pains, disappointments and even hatred.
Let us not lose hope nor give up. Let us not throw in the towel. These occasions are
opportunities to love and forgive. It is at these times that we are to remember the never-ending
love and forgiveness that God has for each of us.

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“In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we
might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and
sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one
another.” 1 John 4:9-11

This is the very path we need to take. We are to love as God loves us. We are to imitate the way
He loves. “So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and
handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2

Love brought you to life as a family. Love sustains you through good and bad times. When our
Church teaches that the family is an "intimate community of life and love," it identifies
something perhaps you already know and offers you a vision toward which to grow.

What you do in your family to create a community of love, to help each other to grow, and to
serve those in need is critical, not only for your own sanctification but for the strength of
society and our Church. It is a participation in the work of the Lord, a sharing in the mission of
the Church. It is Holy.

CONCLUSION

When one is dying or in his deathbed, he never says, “bring me my smartphone. I want to hold
it before I die.” Neither “bring me my medals, awards and trophies that they gave me for all the
hard work I’ve done.” But what he wants just before he takes his last breath is to see his loved
ones. People who are close to him. People who are dear to him. His family. He wants to hear
them. Touch them for the last time.
We all need to defend the cause of the family and to love at all costs. Our families are created to
reflect God’s unconditional love. Let’s go and love our family.

“Follow the Way of Love. A Pastoral Message of the U.S. Catholic Bishops to Families On the Occasion of the United Nations 1994
International Year of the Family.” http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/marriage/follow-the-way-of-love.cfm