Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Lectionary: 17
Reading I
God sets a father in honor over his
children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
My son, take care of your father when he is
old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (cf. 1) Blessed
are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Reading II
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subordinate to your
husbands,
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives,
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
so they may not become discouraged.
OR:
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the peace of Christ control your hearts;
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
When the magi 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.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
As we continue the celebration of our savior’s birth, we are encouraged to reflect on our conduct and how we interact with those who we should be closest to in our lives: our family. It is commonly accepted that the most important social unit in one’s life is the family. Within each family, there are specific roles which tend to define us as individuals and, based upon how we carry out these roles, they can either develop or hinder our growth as persons. As Christians, we are encouraged to meditate on the Holy Family and try to incorporate their interactions into our daily lives, with an intent to better ourselves while holding ourselves accountable for our Christian Conduct. Even though society might try to change the expectations of a father, mother, or child, this does not automatically mean that the expectations of God and the Church will change. In fact, the opposite holds true: there is no need to modify our perceptions and understanding of what a family is and the expected roles each member has just because there are those within society who are actively seeking to destroy the Judeo-Christian concept of family and the expected rolls therein. The vision that God has offered us and the understanding of social unit responsibilities has remained the same since the beginning of Creation up to and through the present day.
We are expected to conduct ourselves within the family unit a particular way which is in line with how and why we were created. First and foremost, this requires love in the form of loving and being open to being loved. We were created out of love, to be loved, and to love. Without love, the connection we have with God is lost. Taking this love, we are then expected to let it influence all of our relationshipsfrom the most intimate ones to the most basic; regardless if there is conflict or the presence of negativity. The foundation for this can be found within the Fourth Commandment: Honor your mother and father. It can also be found in the second Greatest Commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. Notice there are no preconditions to this. No two parents are perfect, just as we are not perfect. Many children have suffered at the hands of one or two parents. There are those who have experienced pain, abuse, and indescribable hurt at the hands of those who were expected to nurture, protect, mentor, and foster growth. Yet, just as we ask for forgiveness from God, we too must forgive and pray for those who might have hurt us if we are to be forgiven. Whatever interactions might have occurred between a child and its parents, the fact remains that the responsibility for life and for bringing a child into this world originated directly from an act initiated by two people. For this, one can be grateful and appreciative of, while still recognizing disappointment and failure.
For those of us who are parents, the honor, respect, and love given to us must be reciprocated to our children, Not only that, but the bond of marriage between the two parents should be honored also, with an equal amount of love, devotion, and role-fulfillment being contributed to the development of the marriage, and through it, the entire family unit.
The Book of Sirach explains how it is through loving and honoring our parents that we too are forgiven for our sins. This is because to be forgiven, we must learn to forgive. If we cannot confront the successes and failures of those who brought us into this world, then how can we confront the sins and shortcomings that we found within ourselves? To dislike or hate is an indication that a person might be an enemy. If we start from this point, which can be considered the lowest starting point, we find Jesus telling us that we must love our enemies. In other words, we cannot get away from honoring and loving our parents. It is also the responsibility of the parents to both love and protect their children, making sacrifices for their betterment and for a safe future. What you then have is a cohesive unit working together, trying to achieve the same desired results.
As sons and daughters, we all have a mother and father. In what capacity do they fulfill those rolls? I don’t know. This is where prayer and forgiveness are demanded if we are to remain spiritually and mentally sound. Fears and resentments are a great threat to our serenity and spiritual well-being. We cannot hold grudges or be angry at someone forever. If we do this, then it is suggested that the same thing might occur to us: our hearts will be hardened, and we will start to build walls. Soon afterwards, we will lose the spiritual connection with God.
God is realized through “the two flesh becoming one,” as mentioned in Sacred Scripture. The perfection of that union is a child. It is then that everyone is made better through the proper interactions within a family. We are all children, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers, and sisters. We are our parents’ children. Along with the responsibility we have to ourselves, we also have an expected responsibility regarding our family. It is through the acting out of these rolls that proper conduct is realized, and the presence of God can be felt. He does not build up walls. He only tears them down. This Christmas Season, let us all make an effort to tear down all the walls and buildup the love in our hearts.
Deacon Tom
