[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Colossians 3:12-21

The Holy Family

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

These characteristics certainly do seem to describe a holy fam­ily! Often, though, our families are places where we can be hurt the most deeply by wrongs or where we find ourselves irritated or impatient with one another. Something about the closeness of family life just brings our faults to the surface.

What can we do when our fam­ily seems to bear little resemblance to the Holy Family? We can take St. Paul’s advice and put on virtue. We have been chosen and loved by God. Jesus has redeemed us. We have the Holy Spirit living in us! These three dramatic truths tell us that we can make a fresh start— right here, right now. Even small steps will make a difference.

A new year is almost upon us. What kind of choices can you make this year to put on the virtues that form holiness in you and your fam­ily? We all come from different situations. We may have both par­ents or only one present. We may have little children or adult children with families of their own. We may be part of a religious community. We may be separated from our families by military deployment, imprison­ment, or personal hardship. But no matter what our situations, we can all take one more step.

Maybe we can try to get the fam­ily together once a week to pray the rosary—even if it’s only a de­cade at a time! Maybe we could give a younger relative a prayer jour­nal and gently guide them toward a commitment to daily prayer. Maybe we could find a parish that offers eucharistic adoration and bring our families once a week.

For younger children, daily Bible stories or learning about the saints at bedtime can form a bond of faith. Teens may benefit if we make the time to talk honestly about the strug­gles they face and share our own experiences with them.

Whatever steps you take, you can be confident that the closer you are to Jesus, the better you will reflect his life. And the better you reflect Christ, the more it will affect your family.

“Heavenly Father, author of family life, help me to bring a holy change in my family this year. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pray for us!”

Sirach 3:2-6,12-14; Psalm 128:1-5; Luke 2:22-40

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

THE HOLY FAMILY OF NAZARETH

(A biblical reflection on the Feast of THE HOLY FAMILY, Friday 30 December 2011) 

Gospel Reading: Lk 2:22,39-40 

First Reading: Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3; Psalms: Ps 105:1-6,8-9 

The Scripture Text

And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.

And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him. (Lk 2:22,39-40 RSV) 

As Creator, God is our Father and we are His children. He loves us all with an everlasting love. Our Father knows what is best for us, and His greatest desire is to share His life with us. Neither life nor love is possible apart from Him.

On this feast of the Holy Family, let us reflect on the fact that, although we fall short of God due to the sin of Adam and Eve, it is possible, through faith in Jesus and obedience to His will, to reverse this situation and lead lives pleasing to the one who rescued us and filled us with His Holy Spirit. It is possible to be a reflection of the Holy Family, and to a union of persons who are a sign and image of the union of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – the Trinity.

As a family, we are called to partake in Jesus’ prayer and sacrifice – to be one in Him as He is one with the Father – and to die to ourselves so that He can live within us. Daily prayer, the reading of scripture, and taking the sacraments are vital in developing this union with Jesus.

In his apostolic exhortation on family life, FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO, Pope John Paul II wrote: “The essence and role of the family are in the final analysis specified by love. Hence, the family has a mission to guard and communicate love, and this is a living reflection of and a real sharing in God’s love for humanity and in the love of Christ the Lord for the Church His bride” (17).

What a privilege it is to participate in God’s plan! What a privilege for all parents to tell their children of God’s love, of Jesus, and the salvation He has won for them; to create an atmosphere of prayer, love, and discipline. Through the words and deeds of parents who seek the Spirit’s power, the light of faith can begin to take root and grow in our children’s hearts and minds and bring them into His Kingdom.

Short Prayer: Heavenly Father, in the Holy Family of Nazareth You have given us the true model of a Christian home. Grant that by following Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in their love for each other and in the example of their family life we may come to Your home of peace and joy. We make our prayer in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.