The Holy Family
29 December 2019
29 December 2019
| Second reading Colossians 3:12-21 |
|---|
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart.
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart.
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”
By Pietro S. Albano
Christmastime, according to Fr Romy Antimano, is the season for the family. Indeed, Jesus became man and was born in the family of Joseph and Mary. Over the past few weeks, the Gospel readings featured the heroism of this couple; how they gave way to God's will over theirs. I imagine how difficult it would have been to forgo one's plan so that a better plan - God's plan - would happen. And yet, Joseph and Mary cooperated. Today's Gospel highlights this.
Our parish priest told us that the Holy Family is not different to our own family. He also encouraged us to believe in the holiness of our family. How is this possible? According to Pope Francis: "The family of Nazareth is holy because it was centred on Jesus". Joseph and Mary, though they did not fully understand God's mysterious plan, focused their attention, love, and care to Jesus. Hence, their family became holy. This can also happen to ours if we fix our eyes on Jesus.
At times, we think of our vocation in the family as our own and so we see ourselves working on our own. If we have this mindset, when trials come we get overwhelmed, lose heart, and give up. But if our vocation is centred on Jesus, if we see ourselves working with and for the Lord, when trials come, we won't give up because we have Jesus supporting and nurturing us. Hence, we allow Jesus to sanctify our family.
2019 is about to end, let's be thankful for the many moments Jesus made His presence felt in our family, for the unexpected times He helped us. In thanksgiving, let us renew our service to Him: "As for me and my household we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).
Prayer
Christmastime, according to Fr Romy Antimano, is the season for the family. Indeed, Jesus became man and was born in the family of Joseph and Mary. Over the past few weeks, the Gospel readings featured the heroism of this couple; how they gave way to God's will over theirs. I imagine how difficult it would have been to forgo one's plan so that a better plan - God's plan - would happen. And yet, Joseph and Mary cooperated. Today's Gospel highlights this.
Our parish priest told us that the Holy Family is not different to our own family. He also encouraged us to believe in the holiness of our family. How is this possible? According to Pope Francis: "The family of Nazareth is holy because it was centred on Jesus". Joseph and Mary, though they did not fully understand God's mysterious plan, focused their attention, love, and care to Jesus. Hence, their family became holy. This can also happen to ours if we fix our eyes on Jesus.
At times, we think of our vocation in the family as our own and so we see ourselves working on our own. If we have this mindset, when trials come we get overwhelmed, lose heart, and give up. But if our vocation is centred on Jesus, if we see ourselves working with and for the Lord, when trials come, we won't give up because we have Jesus supporting and nurturing us. Hence, we allow Jesus to sanctify our family.
2019 is about to end, let's be thankful for the many moments Jesus made His presence felt in our family, for the unexpected times He helped us. In thanksgiving, let us renew our service to Him: "As for me and my household we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).
Prayer
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