The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Feast of the Holy Family, invite us to apply the ancient understanding of family love to our situation today in a world that desperately needs to be clothed in love.
Family plays together
The Book of Sirach outlines our responsibilities to parents.
* [3:1–16] Besides the virtues that must characterize our conduct toward God, special duties are enjoined, such as honor and respect toward parents, with corresponding blessings (vv. 1–9). By showing such respect especially to old and infirm parents (vv. 10–13), the sins of children are pardoned (vv. 14–15). Failure to honor father and mother is blasphemy and merits a curse from God (v. 16). Cf. Ex 20:12; Eph 6:2–3.1
Psalm 128 praises the happy home of the Faithful.
* [Psalm 128] A statement that the ever-reliable God will bless the reverent (Ps 128:1). God’s blessing is concrete: satisfaction and prosperity, a fertile spouse and abundant children (Ps 128:2–4). The perspective is that of the adult male, ordinarily the ruler and representative of the household to the community. The last verses extend the blessing to all the people for generations to come (Ps 128:5–6).2
The Letter of Paul to the Colossians contains a renunciation of vice and offers rules for Christian households.
* [3:18–4:6] After general recommendations that connect family life and the social condition of slavery with the service of Christ (Col 3:18–4:1), Paul requests prayers for himself, especially in view of his imprisonment (Col 3:2–3), and recommends friendly relations and meaningful discussions of Christian teaching with outsiders, i.e., non-Christians (Col 3:5–6). See note on Eph 5:21–6:9.3
In the Gospel of Luke, Mary and Joseph find the boy Jesus in the Temple.
* [2:41–52] This story’s concern with an incident from Jesus’ youth is unique in the canonical gospel tradition. It presents Jesus in the role of the faithful Jewish boy, raised in the traditions of Israel, and fulfilling all that the law requires. With this episode, the infancy narrative ends just as it began, in the setting of the Jerusalem temple.4
Julie Kalkowski shares that at 90, her father is still teaching her. He so well models how well we can ease each other’s burdens if we incorporate St. Paul’s perceptive words into our lives. And when he sinks into his own fears and pain and grief, he demonstrates how that narrows life and makes it harder to see others’ pain and suffering. It is readily apparent when her father is and when her father isn’t following St. Paul’s sage advice. Like most of us, her father would feel better and be much happier if he spent more of his time living the way St. Paul encouraged the Colossians and now us.
Today is the feast day of the Holy Family. A wise friend once told me there are no ‘sides’ in families, only seasons. Some seasons are much more difficult than others. So, while our families, our communities and our world are in this difficult season, let us be mindful of St. Paul’s words. I hope you will join me as I work on opening myself up so that the “peace of Christ can control my heart.” Living with Christ’s peace in my heart will make it much easier to be compassionate and kind to all family members and all God’s children who are struggling.5
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus' humility shows us his divinity,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
The Lord's coming every year to Jerusalem for the Passover with his parents is an indication of his human humility. It is characteristic of human beings to gather to offer God the votive offerings of spiritual sacrifices, and by plentiful prayers and tears to dispose their Maker toward them. Therefore the Lord, born a human being among human beings, did what God, by divine inspiration through his angels, prescribed for human beings to do. He himself kept the law which he gave in order to show us, who are human beings pure and simple, that whatever God orders is to be observed in everything. Let us follow the path of his human way of life. If we take delight in looking upon the glory of his divinity, if we want to dwell in his eternal home in heaven all the days of our lives (Psalm 27:4), it delights us to see the Lord's will and to be shielded by his holy temple. And lest we be forever buffeted by the wind of wickedness, let us remember to frequent the house, the church of the present time, with the requisite offerings of pure petitions." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 1.19)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on Colossians 3:12-21 comments that we are called to build a “civilization of love,” as St. John Paul II said in his Letter to Families (13). It’s a civilization that starts with that foundational building block of the family and reaches outward. It grows as each member gives themselves to God and, then in love, give of themselves to other people. John Paul said that when we’re faithful to our vocation, whether as a married person or as a single person, priest, or religious, our witness of love affects everyone around us.
So take some time today to reflect on how your family can help you grow in holiness. Think about how you can put on the virtues St. Paul describes in today’s second reading and, over them all, love (Colossians 3:12-14). And then allow yourself to dream of how your decisions to love might just change civilization. “Mary and Joseph, pray that your son, Jesus, will help me to be holy in the vocation he has given me.”7
Friar Jude Winkler comments that Sirach urges us to honour our parents out of gratitude and love. The Letter to the Colossians exhorts us to live the spiritual virtues of humility, patience, and kindness. He reminds us that the cultural setting of the time is reflected in the advice to women and the instructions to husbands is extraordinary for that time. Friar Jude explores the question of how Jesus grew in knowledge and wisdom as He matured in Nazareth with Mary and Joseph.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, in reading the apocalyptic scriptures this year in light of the significant challenges humanity faces today, developed the theme for this year that has been “A Time of Unveiling.”
Progress has too often been achieved at the expense of the earth, and human reason has too easily legitimated war, greed, and the pursuit of a private agenda, while technology pays those who serve it, especially the moguls of capitalism, militarism, and big pharma. Our Western philosophy of progress has led us to trust in our own limitlessness and in our future more than in the quality and the mystery of the now. Religion at its best is always concerned with the depth and breadth, paradox and wonder of things. In this sense we have become an impatient and irreligious people. The paschal mystery, the yin and yang of all reality, is outshouted by the quite recent and unproven slogan: “We can have it all!” [2]8
Our journey of transformation to living with love, is nurtured by our relationship with family and friends.
References
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