Posted this in 2010 for the Feast of the Holy Family which occurs this year on December 28. I'm no longer taking Tae Kwon Do, but I still like the post. We are grateful for a visit from our entire family and bless our friends.
December 26, 2010
"Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him."
Sirach 3:2-6, taken from the readings for Sunday (the Feast of the Holy Family):
My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not all the days of his life; kindness to a father will not be forgotten,firmly planted against the debt of your sins —a house raised in justice to you.
A few decades ago I was mildly amused by: "Even if his mind fail be considerate." Now that I'm older I feel differently. My mind and body are still reasonably sound. I'm still able to do Tae Kwon Do - even if I'm occasionally befuddled by the complicated memory sequences devised by Kyosah-nim Rick. there. Even so, I'm comforted by Sirach 3:12-16:
"Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother."
Imperfect as my honoring was, we are gladdened by children and our prayers have been heard. The task of honoring our parents is not done, even though they have gone to their rewards. We can continue to honor them by the ways in which we live.