Feast of the Holy Family Year B Homily

Merry Christmas!

Today we continue this Octave of Christmas and celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

The final verse of of our Gospel stated: “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”

For the majority of Christ’s life scripture tells us nothing. We are told of the Annunciation, His Nativity, the coming of the magi at the Epiphany, His presentation in the Temple at age 3, the finding in the Temple, and then we skip to His baptism in the Jordan at age 30. In this long stretch of time one truth can be told and that is that He was raised in a family who protected Him, taught Him, and prayed with Him.

It is through the loving care of Mary and Joseph that He is assisted in fulfilling all that was stated in this verse. He grew, became strong, and was filled with wisdom because God was upon Him. We cannot forget that He was a child just like you and me once were. It easy to focus upon His adulthood and forget about the fact that He was a child.

What would happened if Mary never fed Him? What would of happened if Joseph did not go in haste at the time of the Holy Innocents? What would of happened if they never gave Him shelter? What would of happened if they never taught Him in the ways of faith? Of course He is God made Man and would of lived a good and holy life, but the role of Mary and Joseph in His upbringing is very important.

So too in this world in which we live is the family important. Fathers and husbands must look to Saint Joseph as a model of what is means to be a father and husband. Mothers and wives should look to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a model of what it means to be a mother and wife. The domestic church which is the church at home is very important for us, but so often the church at home goes forgotten.

It must be the goal of parents to assist their children in growing, becoming strong, and being filled with wisdom. If one is to pass on such virtues to their child they too must come to pursue these virtues for themselves. How do we do this, but make time for prayer, to study the faith, to study Sacred Scripture, to partake in the sacraments such as confession, and to assist at Holy Mass. 

The things that we let into our home effect not only us, but those around us. In all things that we do may our mind and that of others be taken to God. Let our hearts dwell with Him always in order that our home may be modeled after that home of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.