Praying for Family

"Family Day" in Ontario.  A couple of other provinces also celebrate this as a day off, and south of the border our American friends are getting a national holiday called "Presidents Day".   I think it is a wonderful thing that our provincial government thinks that the family is worth celebrating, and making a day for special time together.   It brings us back to basics.  As people of prayer, praying for our families should be a basic.  A "no-brainer".  We love them, therefore we pray for them.  If you are a parent, then you have authority in this sphere, and it is an area where you should expect signigicant answers to your prayers.   It is true that every child is an individual, and before God will eventually be responsible for their own decisions.  Our prayers are not coercive.  But we pray to the original Father, who loves His family, in which we have been adopted, and we therefore have confidence that He cares about our own family units and their needs and struggles.    Our prayers for our children are heard!  (I blogged about this a year ago when I wrote about Monnica of Tagaste).  As the bishop once said to Augustine's mother Monnica, " it is impossible that the child of such tears should perish."  So ... whatever is happening in your children's lives, be confident that the Father cares and is working to draw them to Himself. Let's never give up in our prayers for our families!