Merry Christmas!
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The family is central to society and yet we have allowed this important institution to fade away in favor of modernism. This celebration of the Holy Family proclaims what it means to be a man and a woman, what it means to be a husband and a wife, what it means to be a parent and a child, and most of all what it means for Christ to be placed at the center of our life.
At this point it should be no secret that we are currently in the Year of Saint Joseph which started on December 8th, 2020 and will come to its end on December 8th, 2021. Through this year we have the opportunity to foster devotion to Saint Joseph who serves as the husband of Mary and the foster father of Christ. In the midst of a world which is in need of strong masculine role models we can find none greater then Saint Joseph.
The family is something which is always under attack by the forces of evil. As Sister Lucia stated: “the final battle between the Lord and the kingdom of Satan will be about marriage and the family.” Saint John Paul II said concerning the importance of the family: “The family has the mission to guard, reveal, and communicate love and in doing so become a living reflection of God’s love.”
As Saint Paul stated: “Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Truly, for the family to be strengthened in the midst of a society which tries to rip apart the meaning of marriage, the family, being a man, or a woman it is important for us to put on Christ and place Him at the center of our life.
At the Nativity we discover the Christ child who came as God made Flesh to dwell with us in a family. At the manger His mother, Mary, was present as was Joseph. Mary and Joseph placed their gaze upon Him and gave Him every ounce of their love and attention. If we are to put on Christ and place Him at the center of our life we need to model ourselves after the virtues that and displayed to us by Saints Mary and Joseph.
Therefore, our households must become a dwelling place for Christ. We ought to surround ourselves with sacramentals such as a crucifix, statues, art, and holy water which raise our hearts and minds to Heaven. We should pray together within the household, so that together our gaze may be set upon Christ. We should frequent the sacramental life of the church which means attending Mass and frequenting the sacrament of confession.
The forces of evil will continue to attempt to destroy the family by destroying the sanctity of marriage, by attacking masculinity, and femininity. Nevertheless, in the Holy Family we find a true example of love which conquers all things. Lived out within the Holy Family is an example of being husband, a wife, a man, a woman, a married couple, and most of all allowing one’s gaze to be set upon Christ. As we continue our journey during this Christmas season may the Holy Family intercede for us that we may place our trust in God and be led along the path of holiness.
