NOTES for Luk 12:13-15

Family relationships in our world are complicated. There are no perfect parents in the world, just as there are no perfect children. We are full of anger, resentment, and disappointment in those closest to us, and we pour all of this out on them. It is hard for us to accept the imperfections of our family members, and harder still to accept our own imperfections. But Christ’s words—“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him”—hold immense hope for us all. For despite all the damage done to our nature by original sin, the relationships within our family can become a reflection, an image of God’s Fatherhood.

These words can be a source of reflection not only for parents but also for children. We often fail to realize how many good gifts we receive from our parents. We forget to thank them; we take soup, clean clothes, the warmth of home, and arms opened to welcome us for granted. Yet these simple things contain not only our parents’ love for us, but also the breath of the Lord’s Love, a reflection of the Kingdom.