Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
December 29, 2024 — Year C
Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 / Ps 128 / Col 3:12-21 / Lk 2:41-52
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today is the last Sunday of the calendar year, and it is a wonderful time to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.  It is a time to reflect on the year just ending, with our successes and failures, our times of joy and sadness, and then to look ahead with hope and expectation to the possibilities of the coming year.

What is really great about this feast day is that it is about something to which we can readily relate.  It is not theological or doctrinal.  It is about the reality that you and I have to deal with every single day of the year.  And so, when we celebrate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we also celebrate our own families.

This week, we are coming to the end of the grand holiday celebration that starts with Thanksgiving and goes non-stop through New Year’s.  It’s a time of joyful songs and television stories that have happy endings.  It is a time when we want everything to be okay, and sometimes to make it okay.  We idealize our families.  We try to wish them into something they are not, and yet we know that all too often our families fail to live up to the Hallmark image glowing softly in our imaginations.   Our families are not perfect, and frankly, most families are a little messy.

Many families have been struck by tragedies this year, some over which they had no control, like the death of a loved one, the pain and anguish of illness, or the loss of a job.  Others have experienced tragedies such as separation or divorce, alienation of children, or the almost unbearable pain of infidelity, which was the direct result of someone in the family not doing whatever was necessary to make the family work.  There is an old adage that says it takes a heap of living to make a house a home, and it takes every one of us working together to make that group of people, related to each other through birth or marriage, into a family.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, a family that serves as a model of love, humility, and devotion.  This feast invites us to reflect on the sanctity of family life and the way in which the Holy Family exemplifies virtues that can inspire our own families and communities. The readings today lead us to explore these themes more deeply.

The first reading, the book of Sirach, emphasizes the importance of honoring one’s parents.  It teaches that filial respect brings blessings, including atonement for sins and the favor of God.  Sirach also highlights the care owed to aging parents, urging compassion and understanding.  This wisdom reminds us that families are the first schools of love and responsibility, where God’s commandments are learned and practiced.  In a society often marked by individualism, this call to honor and care for our parents and elders resonates powerfully, reminding us of the blessings that come from nurturing these bonds of love.

In the second reading, Saint Paul provides a blueprint for Christian living within the family and community.  He calls for virtues such as compassion, kindness, and patience.  He emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and love, which bind all virtues together in perfect harmony.   Furthermore, Paul speaks to the specific roles within a family, encouraging mutual respect, obedience, and love.  These principles are timeless and serve as a guide for families striving to reflect Christ’s love in their relationships.  The passage reminds us that families are not perfect, but with Christ at the center, they can become places of healing, growth, and peace.

The gospel from Saint Luke recounts an event of Jesus’ boyhood, His visit to the temple in Jerusalem.  When Mary and Joseph find Him, after three days of searching, Jesus’ response reveals His awareness of His divine mission.  He said, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”  Yet, He humbly returns with them to Nazareth, living in obedience.  This highlights the difference between divine purpose and familial love and obedience, teaching us that holiness often grows in the ordinary moments of daily life.  Mary and Joseph’s concern and Jesus’ humble response offer a profound lesson about the interplay of love, understanding, and mutual respect within a family.

All three readings collectively emphasize family as a sacred institution ordained by God.  Sirach recognizes our duty to honor and care for parents.  The letter of St. Paul to the Colossians provides the virtues that sustain familial harmony.  The gospel portrays the Holy Family navigating challenges with faith, humility, and love.  Together, they point to the family as the domestic church where God’s love is lived and shared.

The Holy Family exemplifies virtues essential for every family:  love, humility, and perseverance.  Their love and devotion to one another and to God teach us to prioritize faith and relationships.  Jesus’ submission to his parents and Mary and Joseph’s trust in God’s plan show us the value of humility and obedience.  From the journey to Bethlehem to the flight into Egypt, the Holy Family faced trials with unwavering trust in God, encouraging us to rely on Divine Providence in our own difficulties.  Their example reminds us that holiness is often in the ordinary, in daily acts of love, service, and trust.

The devotion to the Holy Family began in Bethlehem with the birth of Jesus.  The shepherds and the Magi honored not only the Christ Child, but also His family, recognizing their role in God’s divine plan.  In his earthly life, Jesus Himself was the first to honor the Holy Family through His humility and obedience.  As St. Bernard of Clairvaux beautifully observed, God obeyed a human creature.  This is humility without precedent.  This humility is mirrored in Mary and Joseph’s care for Jesus. Their dedication to His physical and spiritual well-being calls us to care for His mystical body, the Church, and His Eucharistic Presence with the same devotion.  As Pope Saint John Paul II noted, Mary was the first tabernacle of the Eucharist, and her example challenges us to approach the Eucharist with love, reverence, and dedication.

Looking at the Holy Family, we see the love, protection, and diligent care they gave to the Redeemer.  We are reminded of our own responsibilities to our families and communities, and our duty to care for Christ’s presence in the Eucharist.  The Holy Family’s example calls us to reflect on how we honor and cherish the gift of family life, how we nurture love and respect in our homes, and how we deepen our devotion to Christ in the Eucharist.  May the intercession of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph strengthen our families, draw us closer to God, and inspire us to live lives marked by faith, hope, and love.