Holy Family - Year C

 

Christmas is a family time. Families are re-united once again. During this time when families have the grace and privilege to spend much time together, to enjoy each other’s company, to relax together, to have special family meals together, let us thank God for all the graces and blessings our families enjoy and let us also ask God to bless our families and help our families continue to grow to become what they are called to be.

It is fitting that during this family time every year-- we reflect on The Holy Family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Holy Family had many trials, and there were many as know from reading the Gospels, such as the terrible conditions of Our Lord’s birth, or the flight into Egypt because Herod wanted to kill the baby Jesus, or when Mary suffered the loss of Her spouse Joseph and Jesus suffered the loss of His father, or when Mary met Jesus on the way of the Cross or when She watched Her Son die on the Cross. What terrible pain and suffering the Holy Family endured.

If the Holy Family suffered from misunderstandings, from trials, sorrows, and difficulties, how much more do our families suffer from these sorts of things.

Every family has times when it’s difficult to forgive someone, or when there is great anxiety and worry. Sometimes family members can very much hurt each other. There can be jealousy and unhealthy competition between siblings. There can be children caught in the midst of parental fighting. Sin can easily abound in family life. Someone spends money irrationally causing a drain on the family. Maybe one parent favors one child over another. Perhaps a parent spends too much time at work and not enough time with the family. Whenever there is immoderate activity by one person, it affects the whole family. One parent’s un-forgiveness toward someone-- affects the spouse and the children because the attitude is like a disease that hurts the entire family.

The Holy Family was a family with special grace-- but yet a family with trials. Every family has particular graces and blessings and every family also has difficulties and crosses. The Holy family is a model for families because despite their all these difficulties and trials, the family remained faithful, loving and united. The best way for a family to remain faithful, loving and united is for the family to pray together at home and at church and together to seek forgiveness in monthly confession.

When God is first in the family-- everything else falls into place, because God will take care of everything for us. Fr. Peyton, the famous television priest, used to say, “The family that prays together, stays together.” To spend just a few minutes every night praying together would cause remarkable things to happen in the family home. When the family prays together, it’s easier to forgive and easier to love each other—because we pray with each other and for each other.

All you have to do is ask each person what they want to pray for, and then close with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory or maybe pray the Rosary together, then go to bed. How well will the family endure trials and sufferings and all sorts of difficulties, because through prayer-- the family will stay together in love.

Families who bring their children to Mass, to confession regularly, to CCD classes or Catholic school help them to experience the love and mercy of Jesus. When parents teach their children to pray at home, and make good moral choices, they good stewards of their children. They help their children to know God’s will in their life and ultimately help them to gain eternal life. God desires for the family and the children, is always what is best for the children and the family. Today, may parents imitate the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, keeping in mind, parents are stewards of their children and have an important role in helping their children to return to God, their Father in heaven.

Today, may we imitate the Holy Family, and turn to them as our model. May we ask Jesus, Mary and Joseph, to help our families persevere through their trials-- just as they persevered through every difficulty. Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for our families.