Holy Family attends to spiritual guide

The wonder of Christmas has many aspects. The Gospel tells us that Jesus was born while the “family” descended from David has gathered in Bethlehem, the city of David, in response to a Roman census. Families gather at this time of year and often travel thousands of kilometres through challenging events to reunite. The gathering and the suspension of the usual routine for hours or days for the family is a wonderful and very observable characteristic of Christmas. The Lectionary of the Roman Catholic Church chooses texts today which offer a guide to the family life which over time produces much fruit. The Book of Sirach, which offers wisdom to the reader for self guidance in many aspects of life, advises family members to attend to the father and the mother of the family. This attention and respect will of course assist in the growth and well being of your own children. The children learn from the parent how to treat their parents. During the Christmas gathering bringing the grandchildren to see Mom and Dad is such a powerful time to set and model the love and respect which are so essential in growing together as families. The letter of Paul to the Colossians advises that we “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience”. These attitudes and practices will go a long way to making the family gathering all that it can be. The psalmist reveals that the fruit of an attempt to live as family where there is attention to Divine guidance is the family gathered around your table. This is probably the most visible opportunity to reflect on the blessing of family and to be thankful for each and every member of the family. The Gospel of Matthew continues the story of the early life of the Holy Family. The author emphasizes the role of Joseph as the one who attended to the guidance of God as he made decisions about where and how the family would live. Some reflection on the role of Joseph presented in Christian text and tradition, opens a powerful model for those today who have the vocation of leading a family.