We love to do it! Gather the entire family together including our married children with their husband and wife for dinner and then retire to the living room to watch a movie. This time the movie was “Ray Charles”.

It’s classified as a drama movie. The story of one of the most famous American musicians. A life filled with tragedy (at 7 years of age he became blind), drugs, success, and money. At the climax of his career, he buys a mansion in L.A. for his family, however, his music profession, which includes many performances and extensive traveling absorbs all the time he could have spent with his family and he did not have the time to enjoy life.

One day, when coming home after a long period of time, his oldest son at age 9 or 10, runs to the him filled with joy and says: “I’m on the baseball team in school and this Sunday my team will be playing and I would like you to be there." And Charles answers: “I can’t son, but tell your team that I can buy a new uniform for all of them”. The frustration in the eyes of the child is visible. The story is sad but the reaction of his son is especially sad.

I remembered the relationship of King David with his son Absalom narrated in II Samuel 14. Absalom spent 2 years in Jerusalem but can’t talk to his father. So he asks general Joab who was with the King every day “I want to see the King’s face, and if I’m guilty of anything, let him put me to death.” David receives his son, and kisses Absalom briefly. After that, Absalom begins a war against his father. The situation gets so complicated that the King needs to flee from Jerusalem.

Anyone of us can make mistakes like Charles and King David. We need God’s mercy upon our homes. What are our priorities? Where are we investing our time and money? Oppressed by a materialistic society, where people have no time to invest in things that are really important, we forget that children need their father. Children need to talk with their parents, laugh, hear stories, walk together and be corrected.

May the grace of our Lord be upon our families. May we learn by someone else’s pain, without needing to go through the same pain.

Pr. Alcione