In our families and homes, we have boundaries. Some are geographical; we may have our own room or part of a room that we want others to stay out of. Parents may have home offices that are off-limits to children. Some boundaries are behavioral; children may speak one way to their friends, but they are not allowed to speak the same way to their parents or other adults. A curfew is another type of boundary, whose purpose is to protect children’s safety.
Talk about examples of boundaries in your family. For the most part, these boundaries are good. Talk about how sometimes we set up boundaries for the wrong reasons. For example, if we are angry with a sibling, we may draw a line and tell him or her to stay on his or her side. Explain that when we use boundaries to exclude others, we are being hurtful. Point out how in Jesus’ time, some boundaries were used to unfairly exclude people. One example was from last week’s Gospel: Samaritans. This Sunday’s Gospel has another example: women. Talk about how the role of women has changed in your lifetime. Explain that in this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus breaks down a barrier that kept women from being disciples.
Read aloud Luke 10:38-42. Talk about how Martha is conditioned by the existing boundaries of her society, but how her sister, Mary, breaks through that boundary and becomes a disciple of Jesus. Talk about how you can work as a family to break down boundaries that separate people. Point out that when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we call God “Our Father”, meaning that we are all his children; no boundaries should separate us. Conclude this time together by praying the Lord’s Prayer.
Partners in Faith,
Phyllis Chudzinski