May I, Thank you and Pardon Me: three expressions, very dear to Pope Francis, that open the reflection about how to live peacefully in our family. Simple expressions, but hard to practice sometimes. Nevertheless, in these expressions we can find some of the fundamental Christian values, thanks to which we discover the importance of respect, forgiveness and gratitude.
Let’s discover the three fundamental expressions to make us love each other, more and more.
1. May I
The first expression is May I.
Asking for something with kindness prepares us to open our heart to others; in order to enter someone else’s life, even when we think we are already in, we must do it with a delicate and discrete attitude. Sometimes, the confidence we have with our family makes us feel authorized to give things for granted. When we love someone, we must always remember to respect his/her freedom and his/her times to open his/her heart to us.
Even Jesus asks us to enter in our lives:
“Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock. If any man shall hear my voice, and open to me the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me”.
Apocalypse 3:20
Using a polite language, full of love, is very good for families and can improve our relationship with our beloved ones.
2. Thank You
The second expression is Thank You.
A lot of times, showing kindness or saying “thank you” are seen as a sign of weakness, especially in an era in which the use of bad words is increasing drastically. The most powerful remedy that can reverse the trend is teaching kindness and gratitude within Christian families, the pillar of Catholic societies. Virtues such as gratitude and appreciation are the essence of Catholic faith: a Christian who doesn’t thank is somebody who forgot the language of God. Thanking people ennoble our soul; it is like a flower growing up within us, that makes us closer to the Lord and our beloved ones.
3. Pardon Me
The third and last expression is Pardon Me, sometimes very hard to say, even if necessary.
When we do not apologize for our mistakes, small cracks in the relationship with our beloved ones may get bigger. When we reach that point, it is very hard to sew them. Admitting our mistakes and willing to remedy, makes us worthy of forgiveness.
Offering our apologies is the best antidote to these cracks. If we are not able to say sorry, we will never be able to forgive. When people do not apologize within a family, they create cracks that may can’t be filled. In fact, one of Pope Francis’ advice is:
“Never finish the day without making peace with one another”
The crack that may arise between husband and wife, or parents and sons, must be repaired as soon as possible. Never drag it for days! Sometimes a caress, a hug or a simple gesture are enough to fix our misunderstandings and can be fundamental to live in harmony within our families.
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