On the first Sunday after Christmas Day, we traditionally celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: “When a Sunday does not occur between December 25 and January 1, the Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on December 30.” Let us rejoice today as we celebrate the tender care and the powerful intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
We may be inclined to think that, with three such good people, life for the Holy Family must have been very easy. But, if we are to take the Incarnation seriously, there is no reason to believe that this family – living the lifestyle of a rural village in those times – did not have its share of hardships over the years. For example, there is the record of the child being lost for three days in a large and strange city. Imagine the anxiety of the parents in such a situation. Later, the mother will see her Son become famous and then the object of great hostility. She will see Him abused, arrested, tried, sentenced, scourged, crowned with thorns, and finally die like a common criminal before jeering crowds. Nonetheless, we celebrate their utter loyalty to God and their faithfulness to the father’s will – in all these things.
Today, in celebrating the Holy Family, let us ask God’s blessings on our own families, which also know of hardships, strains, stresses, and pressures. Let us give voice to our hearts’ desire for the presence of God’s love in our families, a love that shows itself in patience, humility, forgiveness, sharing, and sincere gratitude.
Let us pray. “God of Love, on this Feast of the Holy Family, hear our prayers and inspire us to be joyful messengers of the good news of salvation to all the world. We make this prayers through Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
