"We are not living in an era of change, we are living in a change of era." Pope Francis

     In this season of advent we hear calls for "metanoia", "turning around", "change of heart".  Paulo Freire highlights a first step to making this happen.  He argues that perception, the recognition of one's current situation, is the beginning of transformation.  Personally I believe that Pope Francis has made this astute observation on our present situation: "We are not living in an era of change, we are living in a change of era."  In His Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia he named how this pertains to the family. In chapter two he begins with "The current reality of the family," followed by "Some Challenges".  It seems to me a shame that Chapter 8 (the question of divorce and reception of the Sacraments) has struck a nerve so powerfully as to almost drown out other important parts of the Exhortation.
     Chapter 4 "Love in Marriage" is almost a poetic exploration of this theme. In Chapter 6 he gives some specifics for preparing engaged couples for marriage, accompanying the first years of married life, casting light on crises, worries and difficulties. Chapter 7 is "Towards a better education of children".  Following the contentious chapter 8, Chapter 9 is "The spirituality of marriage and the family."
      Jean Huston was featured on the Shift Network in a talk: "The 3 Keys to unlocking your quantum powers."  The very title reflects a new reality.  She made the statement" "We are people of the parenthesis." A parenthesis is between two things.  As I understand her, that's where we are living.  "The Times they are a changing."  Jean's talk also resonated in me with some of what I have read and know of Fr. Teilhard de Chardin, S.J.  He was so far ahead of his time that the Holy See forbade the publication of his writings.  Only after his death were his writings published.  "We are not living in an era of change, we are living in a change of Era."