THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY

Lk 2: 41-52

Christmas is a family time. During this time families have the grace and privilege to spend much time together, to enjoy each other’s company, to relax together, to have special family meals together.

It is fitting that during this family time every year we reflect on The Holy Family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. When the Holy Family is put before us as a model for us to imitate, we feel that is impossible. They are so far beyond us in holiness that imitating them would be impossible.

We probably think or imagine that the holy family lived a charmed life without problems or stress. Problems began even before Jesus was born when Joseph was about to break his engagement to Mary. Think for a moment where Jesus was born, not neat and clean like the little mangers we have in our cribs at home. He was born in a stable that probably was smelly and dirty, maybe damp and cold. Mary and Joseph were not so rich, remember when they presented their son to the Lord according to their custom they offered the sacrifice of the poor. In the temple the old man Simeon came up to tell Mary that her heart would some days be broken because of her child. Shortly after this Joseph is told by the angel to get out of the area because the king is planning to kill their son. They end up refugees in a foreign land for few years. And in the gospel of today, Jesus, a twelve years old boy is lost. When the parents found him and wanted to correct him, his response was: “Did you not know that I must be in my father’s house?

But today we are celebrating this family as a holy family. Why? Is it because of Jesus, the son of God? Is it because of Joseph who was from the Davidic roots? Is it because of Mary who received God’s message? The Holy Family was a family with special graces but yet a family with trials. Every family has particular graces and blessings and every family also has difficulties and crosses. The Holy Family is a model for families because despite their many trials, the family remained faithful, loving and united in God.

Today there are forces in the world constantly at work to destroy what it means to be family. These people would like to remake the family according to their image rather than God’s. There is even a movement now to legislate against parents teaching their children their religious faith because they think the children should be free to choose for themselves. In other words it would be illegal for you to teach your children about God. The family is the basic building block of the society and the Church. It is where people are first taught about God and the society. It is here that they learn the virtues espoused in our second reading: compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. And if this foundation is destroyed, the whole society is destroyed.

It is good to pray today to the Holy Family, to Jesus, Mary and Joseph, asking them to help our families persevere through the trials just as The Holy Family persevered. A holy family is not a family without problems or heart aches. It is how we deal with those problems that really matters. We must be faithful to God at all times and we must deal with each other with fairness, kindness, patience and love. May God’s blessings be with us and our families today and throughout the coming year.