Second Reading: Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19
Gospel: Lk 2:22-40
Today, we are celebrating
the feast of Holy Family. Family is the base for any community. Even God when
He wanted to become human, He chose to be born as an infant in a family. God
could have come down to humans in any form or as a well grown human person but
He purposely chose to be born in an atmosphere of family. Thus, family is a
divine constituted structure. Family is the first school for human person.
God’s willingness to be schooled in a family prior to His public ministry
asserts the inevitability of family structure for the well-being of humanity. The
future of the child lies in his/her upbringing in the family. Today, we are
called to be schooled from the Holy Family of Nazareth consisted of Jesus, Mary
and Joseph for the well-being of our family life.
In the Gospel, we notice Mary and Joseph going
to Jerusalem Temple to fulfil the Law of Moses (Lk 2:22). Although there is no
need for Mother Mary to undergo a purification ceremony as she was both immaculately
conceived and brought forth Jesus without any cooperation from man but from the
power of the Holy Spirit, yet Holy family carries out the requirement of the
Law of Moses. They circumcise and consecrate baby Jesus. Obedience and humility
is the virtue of New Testament which effects salvation. The obedience of Mary
to God’s plan, the humility of St. Joseph to lead a virginal family life and
bring up a child that is not of his flesh effects new creation. The
disobedience and pride of Adam and Eve in the Old Testament is redeemed by the
virtues of Mary and Joseph in the New Testament. The practice of virtue
benefits not only the practitioner but others as well. Mary and Joseph are very
regular in visiting the Jerusalem temple (Lk 2:41). They take their child Jesus
with them to the temple. God’s family is going to the temple to meet God as a
family. What a wonderful family is that! Today, where do the families go as a
family? The first place for parents to take their child as a family should be
the Church. Going for the Holy Mass as a family and fulfilling the commandments
of God just like Mary and Joseph will keep the family together and morally
sound. The loss of morality in today’s society is due to failure in family
responsibility. When the structure of the family falls, the society heads to
the doom. The snare of the devil is to attack the basic structure of the family
so that the entire society is pushed into disarray. The voice for abortion,
right to pro-choice, economical concern over the number of children in a
family, non-committed relationship and liberalizing family virtues in the name
of signs of the time are adherence to the voice of the devil. They need to be
resisted at all circumstances.
Family is not a perfect
institution but it is essential for humanity. As Simeon tells Mother Mary about
the sword that will pierce her heart in her latter days of life (Lk 2:35), we
too are told to accept swords that will pierce our families at some point in the
course of the time. Mary overcomes the sword of crucifixion of Jesus with her
deep faith in God. In the first and second readings of today, we are given
Abraham as model for our faith. Abraham believed about things that seemed to be
impossible: for he believed that God will be able to give him an offspring despite
his old age. He obeyed God without any doubts and conditions. When God asked him
to sacrifice his only heir Isaac, he did not hesitate: for he knew that God is
able to bring back his son to life (Heb 11:19). In our families we need faith
to march ahead against hopelessness. It is faith in God that makes one to trust
his wife, her husband and his/her children. On this day of family, let us
consecrate our families to Jesus, Mary and Joseph. May they keep us under their
power and protection. May fathers in the family be like St. Joseph to provide
the needs of the family and give protection. May mothers in the family like Mary
have deep faith in the time of crisis. May children in the family be brought to
the Church regularly for worship and celebrations. A family that unites to give
time for the Lord will see wonders. Let our families revolutionize the society through
holiness and deep faith in God.
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