Family is Love

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

26 December 2021 

 

First Reading: SIR 3:2-6, 12-14 or SM 1:20-22, 24-28

Responsorial Psalm: PS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 or PS 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10

Second Reading: COL 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 or JN 3:1-2, 21-24

Gospel: LK 2:41-52

 

Reflection

By: Anabelle Payod-Balla

 

"Love is always present at home un varying degree but never absent." - Anabelle Balla

"Pag ibig, pag asa, at saya, 'yan ang lagi mong dala. Sa pamilya mo ang tunay na Pasko, family is love. Family is love..." (Love, hope, and joy, you always bring. In your family, true Christmas is...)

These are the lines of the song that we needed to memorize for our Christmas video in the office. "Family is love", is the title of the song (ABS-CBN's 2018 Christmas song).

The words, "family is love", is an absolute truth for me. I strongly believe that all families in the world have love in their hearts and that they may have different ways of expressing it. Maybe not the way we expect or prefer it to be. But there has to be love. Because WE ARE LOVE. We all came from God, who is LOVE. It is part of our genes, of our being. We can't exist without it.

Some of you may say, "my father is a monster or my sibling has no care of this world". But may I ask you to reconsider and think of the times when you've seen a glimpse of love, even the tiniest one? What made them express love? What can we do to help them show more love? Can we trigger love by being the first to show love?

And how do you love? What is your love language for your family? Are you showing enough love? Do you love enough?

I say, BE WHO YOU ARE, be the LOVE that your family needs every day. Bring hope, bring joy, bring peace, and offer comfort anyway you can because even the smallest act of love can spark the love in others and create a ripple effect to the world.

Some of us may not have a perfect family, but we have love, we have God and if we have God, then we are in great hands!

Prayer

Oh Most Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, please help us unite our family in God's love. May His peace, joy, mercy, healing, protection, guidance, and abundant blessings be upon as always, Amen.