Feast of Holy family

 

HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY, 27 DECEMBER 2020

1. The immediate Sunday after the holy Christmas is the Holy Family Sunday. Is it a clear indication that the Saviour who is born on earth, must be born in every family, and must be nurtured and taken care by every family? Christ must grow day after day in every family. Christ must “live” in every family, and those greatest Christmas gifts of hope, light and joy must continue to “incarnate” in every family. Every family takes the place of the holy family, and every family can be a holy family, in so far as it embodies the same values and disseminates the same ambience.

2. Our reflection on Holy Family is simple and focused: what does the Holy Family teach the families of today? First of all, how lovely it is to think that the Holy Family perfectly represents the holistic nature of God: paternity, maternity and fraternity. Yes, God is fatherly, motherly, and brotherly, each represented by Joseph, Mary and Jesus. The love between the Father and the Spirit “generates” and “nurtures” the Son, and so also the holy love between Joseph and Mary “regenerates” and “fosters” the son Jesus.

3. Thus, the Holy Family resembles this divine nature, and represents the divine face. Accordingly, in Joseph, we see the fatherly care, guardianship and owning up responsibility for the family, for Mary and Jesus. In Mary, we see the motherly tenderness, affection, and sense of support and standing together with the husband and son. In Jesus, we see the fraternal and filial devotion, openness, trust, belongingness and loving submission.

4. Perhaps the greatest tragedy of many a family of today is, the “loss of this divine and human face”, the loss of love with God, and loss of love with the others in the family. When a family loses this “divine touch” and “human reach”, then there is no beauty, joy and peace. In our times, the life of many families is a story of tension, dissatisfaction and unhappiness, because of the continuous replay of irresponsibility and strife. Why a family becomes a place to avoid or escape from, instead of a refuge to turn to? Why a family becomes a misery, instead of a beauty? Why family life becomes a burden, instead of a lightening experience? It is not enough to glorify the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. But it is more important to verify and rectify the quality of each family in the light of the Holy Family.

5. A husband’s duty is not over, by just earning some money, and ensuring the material wellbeing. A wife’s duty is not over, by just managing the house chores or partnering in the financial concerns. What matters most is, how much they are loving companion and partners, in mutual love, respect, care and forbearance? It is not a wonder that in spite of all increase in education and progress, the bonding between husband and wife is very much “thinning”, with no real vibrations of communication and communion.

6. A parent’s duty is not just over, by giving the children some money, a good dress, a good education, a good job and a comfortable life. Much more than that, how many parents give their children sane values of life, give God, faith and kindness? How many parents teach and make their children to be good human beings? Those parents who are responsible for their children to become irresponsible, without devotion and morals, are the biggest “failed parents”.

7. A son’s or daughter’s duty is not over, by just getting well-educated and well-settled in life. How sad it is that a good number of children turn so ungrateful, disrespectful and even harmful towards their parents! A son or daughter who becomes the cause of sorrow of the parents, is a disgrace before God, even if is rated high before the world. Such children are a great “misery” and “failure”, even if they ride on glory and success.

8. An “about-turn” is then the need of the day: Turn to God, and turn to each other. Return to God’s heart, with faith; Return into each other’s heart, with love! See your partner’s face and heart. See your children’s face and heart. See your parents’ face and heart. Do it daily. Then surely, your face and heart, and the whole face of life and family, will change!