A sociologist once said that if you want to destroy the country there is no need to go to war. There is no need for a revolution. There is no need for a plague. Simply, just destroy the family. Why? The family is the most basic of all social units. In other words, if this were a building, no matter how high and beautiful the building if the foundation is weak, the building is weak. The family is the foundation of society and the Church.

How then, do you destroy the family? Simply by taking out God from the family. There are many consequences, three of which are as follows:

1. Take out God, take out prayer. I use to hear stories of the older generation that as soon as the Church bell toils at 6pm, the children will stop playing and head for home for the rosary. When we were growing up, the moment we sat in the car, we would pray the rosary. Now families hardly pray anymore. If they do get together, technology has taken over. We forget the power of prayer. The prayer of parents for their children are very powerful. So is the prayer of children who take care of their parents in their old age and sickness.
   
2. Take out God and you break the marriage. In the U.S., 50 years ago, 1 out of 10 children was born out of wedlock. Now it is 4 out of 10. In France, which is surveyed to be the least religious country, it is 6 out of 10 children born out of wedlock. I use to be assigned in the seminary and one would easily notice the challenges and difficulty a seminarian faces if he comes from a broken family. A lot of healing and forgiveness is needed.
   
3. If you take out God, what values will be taught to the children? There is a saying, the apple does not fall far from the tree. Ask any school guidance counselor – problematic students usually come from a problematic family.   

For today’s reflection, three prayers:

1. For our own families. There are no perfect families and there can never be perfect parents. We pray that God is the center of their lives. 
2. For the Church. May she reach out to the youth, who are not only the hope of the country but the Church as well. 
3. For the World. If there is so much restlessness, it is only because there is restlessness in our hearts. Love Jesus in our hearts forever.