FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS

A week or so ago I heard an interview on PBS in which former President George Bush was talking about his recently deceased mother. He said that there were three areas of importance in her life: faith, family and friends. That was what sustained her throughout her remarkable life. And isn’t that what sustains us throughout our lives?

First and foremost there is faith. Our faith in God is what holds us up when hope seems to be lost, when life is difficult and painful. We believe our God will give us the grace and strength to get through those days and help us find resurrection and new life. When we think back upon those days, and we all have had them, we realize that it was precisely this faith of ours that got us through.

But faith is two-sided. There is our faith is God. There is also faith in ourselves. No matter how much faith we have that God will get us through the dark days, we also have to have enough faith in ourselves that we can make it through those days no matter how dark or difficult or long. And, again, when we look back on those days, we have to acknowledge the truth that we did our part while God did God’s part.

Then there is family. We do not go through this life alone. In good times and in bad it is our family who walks our journey with us. They stand beside us, support us, encourage us just as we do them. My wife, during her many years in management always told those who worked with her that family always comes first and not the job. There are too many sad stories about families that broke up because the job always came first. It never does. Family does.

And thirdly, friends. Sometimes, especially in this day and age, we find ourselves far away geographically from family. Work takes us there. Yes, our family will be there if we absolutely need them. But our new friends become our new support system. Isn’t that

what a church family is all about? I’ve served parishes where no one was born and raised in that parish. They came from somewhere else. But they also became a family supporting one another through good times and bad.

Mrs. Bush was so right. It is our faith, our family and our friends that see us through this life. One is not more important than the other. We need all three. Without faith in God and in ourselves, no matter how supportive family and friends are, it is impossible to survive the dark days that come to us. Without family and friends to support us, it is almost impossible to go it alone, if not impossible.

Too often we take our faith, our family and our friends for granted. I know I have. I am thankful I happened to have stumbled on that interview and be reminded about what is really important in my life. If you are like me those reminders often come when we least expect them and, perhaps, when we most need them.