The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Today's Mass Readings

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. The New Testament does not give us much information about the family of Jesus. All we know is that his parents did bring him to the temple for the presentation as the Jewish custom prescribed. We also know that they went up each year to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover and that Jesus grew in grace and wisdom. Without speculating much, I think that that much information is good enough for us to draw some very useful conclusions. I am taken aback by Joseph and Mary’s fidelity to each other and to the family. In spite of their many difficult and experiences Mary and Joseph were loyal to one another, and provided Jesus an environment to grow in age and wisdom. Mary and Joseph faced the difficulties of life together. Both and Mary and Joseph could have done without all the troubles because this baby was not their own. But both had said ‘yes’ to God. And once they do that they are in it for the long haul. Their commitment to each other reflects the covenantal relationship between God and his people.

Fidelity and committed love is the key to building a good family. No matter what life together brings couples need to be faced together. Marriage is called a sacrament because the relationship between husbands and wives is a reflection of the love between Christ and his people. Christ never gives up on his people – he gives himself up for his people. If every couple could do that, marriage would last a life time.

Holy families do not simply happen – parents and children have to work hard at it. Every challenge that a family faces can be turned into either an opportunity or a recipe for failure. I can’t imagine the pressure that Mary and Joseph faced in their early years. Yet they came through. How did they do it? We may find a clue in today’s second reading. St. Paul says, “put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. “And over all these put on love,” St. Paul says, for “that is the bond of perfection.” A happy family is a lot of work but with faith in God it is not impossible to be a holy family.

Let us surrender our families to the Christ this day and live by the values of the Holy Family so that our families too can be holy.

-Fr. Satish Joseph