The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Each year at Christmas I have a difficult time balancing the hard realities that must have surrounded the Jesus birth and how they have been romanticized over the centuries. The annunciation, the visitation, Joseph’s dilemma, Quirinius’s census, Mary and Joseph’s travel to Jerusalem close to childbirth, the birth of Jesus in a stable, Jesus laid in a manger, Herod’ search for the child, the family’s escape to Egypt – it is possible to romanticize these events and lose sight of the realism of these events. The same can happen with the Feast of the Holy Family. It is true that two of the three people in the Holy Family were sinless, yet we can be sure that the Holy Family faced many of the complexities we do today. I am sure that they struggled like we do and found comfort in each other just as we do.
2020 has been incredible hard on families because of the challenges presented by the pandemic. Families have struggled with ill family members and grieved as many, especially the elderly died alone in hospitals and nursing homes. Families faced immense financial challenges with losing jobs, unemployment, paying bills, home-schooling, managing work schedules for online education, dealing the stress of working from home, and tragically in some case, domestic abuse. For those struggling with mental health issues, or if a family member has mental health issues, family life has been particularly stressful. This is also true of family members have had to access emergency health care or be admitted into hospitals. On the other hand, without families our struggles could have been so much harder. In most cases, our family, our home, our loved ones have been our refuge and strength.
I would like to bring a couple of point before you for reflection and end the homily with a blessing for all families.
- The Holy Family – the name says it all. On the one hand, the Holy Family is called the Holy Family because of the incarnation. Just as Jesus’ becoming human gave a new dignity to the human race, so also God’s incarnation into a family gives a new dignity to the human family. On the other hand, the family was already considered a sacred unit in the Judeo-Christian tradition. The original dignity of the family comes our understanding of the family is God’s creation. God gave Adam and Eve to each other and created the first human family. However, Jesus being born into a human family gives the human family a renewed dignity. The family is God’s dwelling place. Our home is God’s abode. Christians even call our home the ‘domestic church’. The most important thing we can do on the feast of the Holy Family is to remind ourselves that by its very nature our family is already holy. The sacredness of our family does not totally depend on the holiness of its members. If it did, no family would be holy, because we fail in numerous ways. Rather, the holiness of the family first and foremost stems from the reality that the family is of divine orign; that the family is God’s creation; and that our families and our homes are the dwelling place of God. Hence, I am suggesting that this week you become deeply aware of the reality of the sacredness of your home and your family. And no matter what your family is like, thank God that God considers your home worthy of being God’s dwelling place.
- Faith – the bedrock of the family. I feel content that the infancy narratives in the gospels do not shield us from the struggles of Jesus family. As I said earlier, The Holy Family faced challenges like our families do. But through it all, there is one thing that is consistent in their story – their constant, undying, and undiminished faith. No matter what the reality, they always respond in faith. For example, Mary consented to the angel Gabriel’s annunciation in faith. Joseph obeyed the angel in faith. Even when the angel disappeared, we see them facing life with faith. The climax of their faith is seen on Calvary. Even as Mary stands at the foot of the cross (in all probability, a widow), and even as Jesus sees his weeping mother, their faith never wavered. I believe that it was their faith that helped them to face carry their crosses and be strong for each other.
Our families too have faced unprecedented challenges during this pandemic year. I hope that these challenges have only strengthened our faith. I hope we will face the upcoming challenges of the new year like the Mary and Jesus did. As we identify with them in their struggles, I hope we also identify with them in their faith.
There is an area of particular concern during these times – the impact of the pandemic on the faith and religious education of our children. I am also concerned that when things get back to normal, getting back to church for worship will require immense discipline and effort. If you are concerned for your family in this regard, may I suggest that in the New year you make an extra-ordinary effort to gradually reconnect with your faith community. As the situation with the pandemic improves, perhaps the family can return back to church once a month. Until then, be sure to attend Mass at home and pray or reflect on scripture together at home. If you have not signed up your children for religious education, perhaps you can do this in the new year. Either way, please nurture the faith of the family. Please remember that just like the Holy Family, it is our faith that sustains us during these times.
- Prayer for Families. And finally, I would like to offer a prayer for families. Let us pray:
Dear God,
origin of life and creator of families,
when the appointed time came,
You chose to send Jesus into a family,
and made the home your dwelling place.
In this way, you consecrated each home and every family.
Today, we bring our families before you.
As we model our family around the Holy Family,
we pray that we might have a renewed awareness of Your presence in our homes.
Help us see every member of our family as your gift,
and help us to treat one another with the same honor that we have for you.
Holy God, during this pandemic, we raise up:
Families that are grieving the death of a loved one,
Families or family members struggling in their faith,
Families struggling with physical, mental, and emotional health,
Families that are stressed and fearful because of unemployment and other financial burdens,
Families that experience domestic abuse or substance abuse in any form,
Children and youth who are finding education difficult,
Families that face break-up because of the stress created by the pandemic.
Holy God,
hold our families in your protective, comforting, healing and redeeming embrace.
One day, may we be reunited with you in our eternal home in heaven.
Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph