God's Presence in the Family

Feast of the Holy Family Dec. 26, 2010
(Mt 2:13-15, 19-23)

When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him." Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean."

As the Church celebrates the Christmas Season, today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. Naturally, when Jesus was born, He, his mother Mary, and Joseph became a family. Mary and Joseph welcomed the baby Jesus to the world. But the fragile Jesus was not without threat from unwelcoming people like Herod. Being fragile and helpless is a consequence of the Incarnation. When Jesus chose to become man, He made Himself vulnerable to the dangers of this world, to the same dangers that we ourselves face. But He had a family to protect Him.

Today's Gospel story shows us that the families that obey God's will may also face difficulties and trials, but they are never left alone. God is in the midst of the family that calls upon Him and obeys His will. Today, as our families are threatened by separation, economic problems and a certain bill, we are invited to pray and to listen to the voice of God, who leads His family, the Church, to safety.

We are the Church and we are God's family. As He guided the Holy Family, He also guides us today as we journey here on earth. As we face those who oppose the coming of God's Kingdom, we hear God's voice and we know He is with us. He protects us from all the threats against life, and from all that will lead us away from Him.

Today, we are also reminded to protect life. Mary and Joseph welcomed Jesus as a gift from God. And they both protected Jesus and raised Him well. Mary did not see Jesus as a burden, even though her pregnancy was a scandal to Jewish society and a threat to her life. Mary and Joseph accepted parenthood as a privilege from God. Today's parents are also invited to welcome life, to accept the responsibility of procreation, and to raise a family that is obedient to God.

May the child Jesus be born to every family this Christmas Season. And may God always lead all families, especially the Church, to His embrace and may we all be part of that one, big family group hug with Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

To God First and Foremost

Feast of the Holy Family Dec. 27, 2009 (Lk 2:41-52)

Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom.

After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety." And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he said to them.

He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

In the latter part of our Gospel today, we hear of Jesus' obedience. The Son of God who humbled Himself by becoming man also humbled Himself by becoming obedient to human parents, by becoming a normal man with a normal family. What makes Jesus and His human family special is the presence of God in their lives. The Holy Family has God at its center, not only because Jesus was in that family, but because they follow God's will.

Being in a family, the smallest social institution, will not assure anyone a perfect life. Every member of the family has to make it work. Every member must do his part. And, of course, God must be in the center. His will must be the law in the family.

In the Gospel today, Jesus leads us from the natural family to the bigger family - the Family of God. Jesus says that He must be in His Father's house, doing God's will. We too, as sons and daughters of the Father, ought to be in our Father's house, doing His will. Our families should not hinder us from being good children of God.

Parents should remember that it was God who gave them their children. They should, in their gratitude, remember to raise their children as true Christians; they should not hold them back from God. Many parents prevent their children from pursuing careers that make full use of their children's God-given abilities and, instead, coerce them to pursue fast-earning careers. The saddest situation is when parents prevent their children from entering the seminary, arguing that there are many ways to serve God. But what if God chose their children to serve Him specifically as His priests? Should they not give their children back to God, as Hannah did in our First Reading (1 Sm 1:20-22, 24-28)?

Children, on the other hand, ought to obey their parents and accept what they are trying to teach them. But, again, parents have the responsibility to teach only good things to their children, raising them as true children of God.

God has created the natural family to reflect His own family, in which He is Father and we are His children by virtue of adoption. The natural family should, therefore, open itself to the will of God, the Father of all. Yes, we are family to all our biological relatives, but we are family to God first and foremost.

The "Emmanuel Family"

Feast of the Holy Family Dec. 28, 2008 (Lk 2:22-40)

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord", and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons", in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."

The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted - and you yourself a sword will pierce - so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

On the Sunday immediately after Christmas, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family into which the baby Jesus was born. The image of the Holy Family is a model of family life for all. It depicts a family wherein God is present and is not cast out of the picture. After all, it is the family of the Emmanuel, "the God-with-us".

Many families in the world today are faced with so many problems and threats to family life. The Holy Family was not alien to these threats. True, God did protect the Holy Family. But He did not shield them with a force field, an all-weather umbrella or any other supernatural protection. The Holy Family had to endure their problems in the natural way. Often, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus are depicted as fleeing from place to place to escape those who threatened the child's life.

Mary and Joseph are both excellent parents. They offered their child in the temple as was required by the law. They treated Jesus as a gift from God. They offered Him back to God and did not prevent Him from fulfilling His mission. This serves as a reminder for parents. Often, they forget that their child is a gift from God. Many infants today are found dead or abandoned. Others are more unfortunate, for they are killed while still inside the womb. Then there are those who are fortunate enough to be welcomed and loved by their parents. But so much so that their parents control wish to control their whole lives. Many parents dictate what they want their child to be in the future. They do not give their child the opportunity to be what God called them to be. They do not offer their child back to God, unlike Mary and Joseph. One can imagine how much more priests we would have right now if some parents didn't hold back their beloved children from their vocation. It's not just in the priesthood, it could be in other courses. Many parents would force their children to take up courses with the sole purpose of earning money or perpetuating the family business, thus preventing their children to be happy and to use their God-given abilities.

Mary and Joseph were never selfish. They shared Jesus to others and offered Him back to God. Imagine how painful it was for Mary to know that a "sword shall pierce her heart" (Lk 2:35). And how much more painful it was to see her son dying on the cross. It was the greatest act of sacrifice for a mother. Why couldn't the parents of those who wish to enter the seminary do this?

As Mary and Joseph are model parents, so their son Jesus is a model for children. Jesus was God and had authority as such. But He chose to be obedient to Mary and Joseph. He probably helped Joseph in carpentry. Jesus was also very obedient to His real Father which is God. In fact, His obedience is the very reason He was born. He obeyed His Father's plan of salvation.

Amidst the threats against family life in our modern times, let us look again to the Holy Family to be our model and source of strength. Let us remember that they too, as a normal human family, had many difficulties. But these were all overcome. The secret of this blessed family is very simple: God was present in them. They are the "Emmanuel Family". They were obedient to the Father's will.

Our family life should be patterned after the Holy Family. We must let God enter the family and reign in it. We should pray and attend Mass as a family. As the popular saying goes, "The family that prays together, stays together." And indeed, it shall not only stay together; it shall be blessed by God.