Deacon Tom Anthony

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Lectionary: 17

Reading 1 Sir 3:2-6, 12-14

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 Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5.

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 2 Col 3:12-21

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.

Alleluia Col 3:15a, 16a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the peace of Christ control your hearts;
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
R. Alleluia, alleluia

Gospel Lk 2:41-52

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast
of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him,
they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions,
and all who heard him were astounded
at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor
before God and man.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 Our celebration of the Christ Child has only just begun. With the celebration of the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we have entered into the Christmas Season. So important is this event, so impactful to the entire universe, that we now celebrate for twenty days. The Holy Mother Church offers us a calendar to guide us through this period, encouraging us to reflect on particular events and particular people so as to enrich the moments that pass during the season. We had The Fest Day of Saint Stephen, Saint John, and the Holy Innocents. Now we gather during this Sabbath Day to reflect on The Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

One of the most serious situations that we as Christians are confronted with in society today is the deterioration of the family unit. The majority of marriages end in divorce, 32% of households with children are headed by single parents, and almost 10 million children per year are witness to some sort of domestic violence. The family is known to be the most important social unit and the one that will have the most impact on the lives of the children and the adults within it yet it is facing a crisis of major proportion that, in many ways, is being encouraged by certain segments within society trying to promote certain agendas and goals which ultimately go against fundamental principles of Christianity. The Christmas Season and the Feast of the Holy Family offer a time to reflect on the status of our families and the importance thereof.

Just as Jesus Christ is at the center of our faith and at the center of the Holy Family, our children must always be at the center of our lives. This does not only pertain to fathers and mothers but also to all of those who interact with children not to exclude grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and the like. When a child comes into the family, all within the family including extended family have an obligation for that child’s upbringing. Included in these responsibilities are financial support, guidance, mentorship, and emotional encouragement. The immediate responsibility starts with the parents but all within the sphere of influence of the parents are called forward by God to do their part.

Mary, at the age of fifteen and with a child in her womb, traveled a great distance to visit her cousin Elizabeth and to care for her when it was time for her to give birth to her son John. It was a great sacrifice what she did for her cousin but was also expected because they were related. We too should not hesitate to do things out of obligation to our families regardless of what kind of impediment these things might be to us. When doing these things there an expectation that will develop that there will be those who will do the same for us when something arises in our lives. Through these actions comes a shared experience that develops into a higher spiritual awareness and understanding. Christ is manifested through these actions and all are strengthen with His presence.

Understanding the importance of family interaction and experiencing it makes us want to do it more. The reason for this is simple: The love that we show is a reflection of the love that Jesus Christ has for us. We are doing what God intended for  us to do: To love because we are loved. Just as there is no precondition for the love that God has for us there should be no precondition to the love we show to our family and beyond to our Christian Family. This love has the capability of strengthening the family and to reverse the negative effects society has on it. The family becomes the domain of God and nothing can cause division or strife within it when this is realized. Even those families that have become victims of separation and divorce can be reconciled to some degree through acting on the presence of God’s Love. God’s Love can defeat anything and make every situation better.

Each member of a family should take their responsibilities seriously and put them before any other considerations. Not to do so would be considered both selfish and a detriment to the family’s survival. Fathers should be the protector, provider, mentor, disciplinarian, and guide in faith-matters. Mothers should be the nurturer, encourager, counsel, the one who espouses the virtues of the Virgin Mary. Children should obey, love, and honor their parents. Above all, they should listen to them and heed their advice. When other family members present them for support these too should be honored and respected. All animosity and strife within a family should be immediately dealt with and dismissed in favor of the Love of God.

Some of these aforementioned responsibilities may appear to be demanding but it must be remembered that being a Christian and acting like a Christian is difficult in itself. Doing the right and proper thing is always difficult. That is why society has so many problems to begin with: the easier way is taken too often even though it is the wrong thing to do and leads to disastrous results either in the short term or at some point in the far future. A house built on a foundation of sand will always eventually fall. The Holy Family provides us with a model, vision, and blueprint that may be difficult to achieve but, when followed, will be worthwhile.

Deacon Tom