Merry Christmas!
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Jospeh. This is an interesting celebration because it reminds us that God took on our human flesh and submitted Himself to the confines of a family. Mary and Joseph would protect Him, feed Him, and instruct Him in the ways of morality and faith.
Each of us have been entrusted to the confines of a family, but none of our families are as perfect as the Holy Family. Therefore, the Holy Family should be the focus of our family life. As Pope Francis has stated: “No family drops down from heaven perfectly formed; families need constantly to grow and mature in the ability to love.”
Sadly, I don’t believe that many families have allowed themselves to be formed in such a way. Popular media gives us the example of the broken home and the immoral life. The Holy Family alone can be our perfect guide to which we should be formed upon. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are the the way in which we come to be formed in the Christian life.
The many issues which plague the modern day family would be nothing if we allowed Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to be our guide. Joseph and Mary show us the importance of marital life, Joseph shows us the importance of fatherhood, Mary shows us the importance of motherhood, and Jesus shows us the importance of respect for one’s parents.
In our modern world the domestic church which is the church at home finds itself under attack. There must be prayer within the home, but so often this goes pushed off to the side. The home is the place to study the family and to follow the life of virtue. The home should point the way to the Holy Mass, but this is so often overlooked for other worldly endeavors.
The Holy Family shows the importance of prayer within the home. They also show the importance of being formed within the Christian life. There was nothing on this earth more important then this task which had been entrusted to them. May the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Jospeh always remain our guide in order that we may strive for the Kingdom of Heaven.
May each of you continue to have a blessed Christmas season as we come to model our life and home after the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
