Office of Marriage & Family Life

Take time to read and reflect on the Scriptures for this Sunday.

Don’t have access to a Bible?

Visit www.usccb.org/bible/readings or download an app such as Laudate or iBreviary to access the Mass readings.
 

Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23

All our work and accomplishments fade away. 

Psalm 90

Teach us wisdom in our shortness of days. 

Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11

Think of what is above, for your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

Luke 12:13-21

One’s life does not consist of possessions. 

Reflect on what we should truly be attached to and share with your family:  with our children: 

• Reflect on your own attachments. If we are honest with ourselves, we will usually find that we have some pretty strong attachments to material things. It may not so much be the pleasure provided by the thing, but rather the security it represents. For example, I don’t have a particularly strong attachment to the car I drive, but I am very attached to the ability to drive to where I need to go. That’s not bad, but the spiritually healthy thing for me to do is to remember that I am using the car in order to serve my family, do my work and care for creation.  

• Talk with your family about your experience with attachments. Share your experience with attachments with your family. Let them know that you have been thinking about how it is good to use the gifts God gives us, but that we need to remember that our love belongs to God and not the things he creates. Sometimes, when we recognize we are attached to something with an inordinate desire, we discipline ourselves to either moderate or say no to that desire. In the long run, we will be much happier.   

• Ask your children to do a similar reflection. During a quiet time, ask your children what they think about this idea of not being attached to material things so we are free to love God. See if they might try setting aside some material things or activities, particularly time with media such as smartphones, in order to free their hearts to be more open to God.  If your family wants to explore this idea of setting aside the distractions of technology, check out resources available at makespaceforGod.org.  

The Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola — Jesuits.org 

https://www.jesuits.org/stories/the-feast-of-st-ignatius-loyola/ 

Did you know that July 31 is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola? Check out this link to learn more about St. Ignatius and the Jesuit order: The Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola - Jesuits.org 
 

Sacred Story Institute 

https://www.sacredstory.net/ 

Check out this link to learn more about Ignatian discernment through the Sacred Story Institute which provides resources for people to integrate the spiritual practices of St. Ignatius into ordinary life.