For Christian families

"Pelas famílias cristãs, para que o Cordeiro pascal, que é a nossa vida, as alimente com o seu Corpo e o seu Sangue, oremos."

For Christian families, that the Paschal lamb, who is our life, may feed them with His Body and Blood, we pray to the Lord."

- from the Prayer of the Faithful at Easter Mass, here in Portugal

This prayer was very touching for me during mass. I am realizing how much the family is the nuclear unit of society, as St. John Paul II says in so many documents. And how much the family needs to be supported and helped. We are a young family, setting building blocks and taking our first steps, and we are so thankful for all the guidance we have had through Christ and his real, personal Church.

So it is touching to think of the Israelites organizing themselves by families on the night of the Exodus and the Passover lamb being their sustenance.

We too were strengthened and supported this Easter vacation with our trip to the country with another family. We hiked, painted and played games, but also prayed together, shared life together and went together on this journey filled with trials and tribulation, on our way from slavery to freedom, like in Exodus, with Christ as our Lamb.