HOLY FAMILY FEAST 23

HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY, 31 DECEMBER 2023 Focus: Christ grows in family! Indicative: The holy family is model for every faithful family. A family that resembles the holy family will be the abode of joy and peace 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? 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. 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. 7. 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. 8. 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? 9. 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. 10. 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? 11. 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”. 12. 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! 13. 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. 14. 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! Imperative: Nurture within you and foster around you a little more spirit of family and be faithful to the family values. Then you will really see that Christ will be surely born there! (Reflection 2) Thrust: Love needs a family! Indicative: Love that is born from heaven needs to be nurtured and fostered in a family. The health of an individual and society itself depends on the quality of a family 1.      Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, the family of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. It comes during the Christmas Octave between Christmas and the New Year. It is usually the immediate Sunday after Christmas. But since this year the New Year falls on Sunday, the holy Family festivity is celebrated on the 30th. 2.      This placement is very significative. The Saviour born is part of a family. God lives in the family and family becomes the abode of the Lord. The family is that nucleus, that locus, that ambience that shelters, sustains, nurtures, and grows God. It is this family that gives the identity to Jesus. It is where the Incarnate Saviour is loved and cared for. 3.      The Holy Family is the model and guide for every family. Every family must be a sacred abode where God lives. Every family must become a point of reference and a sign of the identity of God. Every family must love, care for, nurture, and foster God. 4.      For our practical reflection, we can think of 4 pillars on which the edifice of the Holy Family was built. They are namely: Communion, Compassion, Cooperation, and Commitment. It is precisely these which are most lacking in most families. 5.      There was deep communion between Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. They were one in heart and spirit. They were knit together by the sense of oneness - belonging to one God, to each other, adhering to one holy will of God. It is this spiritual communion with God and fraternal communion with each other that bound them together always and guided them all through. 6.      In contrast, how thin and brittle is the thread of oneness and unity in modern families! Alas, some families behave as if they are aliens and strangers, so separated and divided, living under the same roof, but so aloof and distant from each other! 7.      There was genuine and profound compassion reigning in the Holy Family. They had concern, attention, and care for each other. They nurtured deep respect for each other. Every thought, word, and action was truly permeated by a profound sensitivity and tenderness for the other. They felt for each other. They experienced the struggle of the other as their own. They always guarded themselves against anything that is offensive and hurting. They had a keen sense of appreciation and encouragement toward each other. 8.      In contrast, how less is the spirit of compassion in many modern families! What a height of resentment, hostility, and apathy, as if they are enemies and rivals to each other! What indifference and insensitivity as if they are strangers to each other! Often, there isn't even a single word of comfort and consolation, appreciation, and encouragement. Instead, often there are deliberate attacks of troubling, annoying, aggression, insults and humiliation, discouragement, and despising. 9.      In the Holy Family, their communion and compassion led them to authentic and constant cooperation with each other. In fact, real cooperation means not only doing the same work, but much more working together in the same spirit, with one focus and zeal. They shared their struggles, they shared their duties and responsibilities. They worked together for one and the same will of God, for one and the same family. 10.  In contrast, how less is the spirit of cooperation in many families! The way some families fight and block and damage each other's work gives the impression whether they forget that they are one family and must work for one family, to guard it, build it, and foster it. Whether they are trying to save and construct the family or destroy it, we must wonder. 11.  And some families, forget about cooperation; at least even the minimum communication is not there. There are families where you can count the number of words that the members speak to each other. How can there be communion, compassion, and cooperation where there is no communication? Many speak hours and volumes with others outside the family, but they cannot speak at least a few alphabets with their own family members. 12.  There was perfect commitment to each other in the Holy Family. Each was ready to struggle and sacrifice for the sake of the other. The good and the happiness of the other was the main concern of each of them. Imperative: The spirit of the human family based on hearty communion is the foundation for the spiritual family. One who is a family person can easily be a loving and effective member of the spiritual family as well