Ordinary Holiness
Materials Needed
Bible
Preparation for the Family Leader
All Saints is a feast when
we have the opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary members of our
faith who have loved God in extraordinary ways (martyrs of the church,
etc.). But it is also a time for the church to recognize and lift up
people who live very ordinary lives of holiness.
Much of family life is
ordinary—the daily routines, the patterns and rhythms of the weeks,
even of the years. A challenge for any family is to be holy in the ordinary,
that is, to see the face of God in the routine, in the uneventful, in
the ordinary “stuff.” This reflection focuses your family on being holy
in the ordinary.
1. Introduction to the Theme
Ask family members what they think being holy means.
Ask them to share names of people who they think are “holy.” Ask them
why. What makes a person holy? What would make our family holy?
Share this definition: to be holy is to belong to a sacred power,
such as to belong to God; being holy is to live according to a religious
or spiritual system.
What does a holy person do? (Share things such as
a holy person does the right thing, talks to God often, tries not to
hurt other people; a holy person is good and just; a holy person apologizes
when he hurts others, etc.)
What does your family think: Does it take a very
special person to be holy? Who can be holy? How is it possible for a
very ordinary family with its very ordinary members to be holy every
day?
2. Time for Storytelling
Family members share stories of ordinary holiness
using the questions below as a guide.
For younger children:
Let’s talk about what kind
of things happen in our house every day. (Help the children name as
many of the routines and typical occurrences of a day in your home.)
Talk with them about how they can do these things and be holy, too.
(For example, every morning we wake up—very ordinary! We could say a
simple, “Thank you Jesus, for the new day,” and thus let Jesus know
we are thinking about him first thing in the morning. When we are getting
ready for school, we could make an effort to cooperate. Mom and Dad
could try extra hard to be patient, etc.
For older children and adults:
Reflect on the ordinary,
normal routines of your home. Share how you have seen God hiding in
the typical ways members of the household relate with one another, etc.
(For example, we see God in the way Michael reminds us to speak to each
other with gentle tones of voice, we see God hiding in the way Sara
pitches in without being asked, in the way Mom listens so intently when
we need to share our day.)
3.
Stories from Our Faith Tradition: Ordinary Holiness
Read the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:1-12.
v
How does our family see opportunity to “do” the beatitudes in the normal
routine of our life?
v
Why do you think the Church uses this Gospel reading for the feast of
All Saints?
v
Which of the beatitudes is your family best at living? With which beatitude
do you struggle?
4. What Our Family Can Do
Family leader for this reflection shares points such
as the following: In the beatitudes, Jesus shares with us the way
we are to live that is truly honorable, blessed and holy. And if we
live this way, then God will take care of things, God will bless us.
Spend time in quiet prayer. Ask each family member
to name one or more “Beatitudes” for the family, drawing on those from
the Gospel as well as other ways your family can be holy. Name how ordinary
routines of your home can be holy.
Reflect back on your family’s experience of All Saints.
How have
you seen ordinary holiness in your community?