Article June 23, 1997 Issue

Loving our family

Anne M. Morin

Maintaining a deep love for the members of our family can seem like a pretty tall order sometimes—especially if there is discord and pettiness.

But I see loving our family as a spiritual necessity and not simply a human exercise. The Bible explains: "He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also" (I John 4:20, 21). These words make clear the relationship of loving our brother and loving our Father-Mother God as one harmonious family. This commandment is inviolable, and we can prove it!

Let me give an example that brought healing to me many years ago. The realization that I needed to love a family member more came at a time when I was willing to undergo the discipline required to throw off a view of us both as material personalities in conflict. This discipline involved replacing my negative views of this person and our relationship with the spiritual truth of our identity as God's reflection. I thought it no coincidence that a growth on my cheek that had been there for two years dissolved in two weeks. I was awestruck, and heartened to stick to the discipline demanded to continue seeing the spiritual identity of both this family member and myself.

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