Family, The Domestic Church
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
I WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS. Hope that you had a blessed Christmas. The Sunday after Christmas we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. When God the Father sent His Son into the world, He willed that His Son be born into a human family. Jesus grew up in Nazareth with Mary and Joseph. They were poor but loving family, observant of the religious traditions of the Jewish people.
We know that family is as old as creation. God established the first family on the sixth day of creation. The role of parents comes from GOD. Parents have an obligation to reflect the love of GOD. They receive their example of how to love and care from the way the First Person of the Blessed Trinity loves and cares. Again, we have a perfect example within the Trinity how honor and respect are due to the parents by the children. Jesus, GOD the Son, was ever conscious of His need to honor His Father and do the will of His Abba in all things, even death.
What made the family of Nazareth Holy Family? It was the presence of Jesus and the holiness of Joseph and Mary. Every family is expected to be holy family. It is the presence of God and the saints and the holiness of the individuals living in a family that make a family a Holy Family. It is the prayerful life, mutual respect, love and support like Mary and Joseph that make a holy family.
Let us think about our own families. Both religious and secular point of view family is the basic unit of a society. The stability of a society depends mainly on the stability of the families. Unfortunately the number of broken families increases now a days. As children of God the Father, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ and members of the family of the Holy Catholic Church we have the great responsibility to make our families role models to be followed.
Let us also meditate upon the teachings of the church on Family. The Christian family is called upon to be a community of faith, hope and love that reflects the Trinitarian mystery. For this reason, “it can and should be called a domestic church’” (Familiaris Consortio no. 210).
May the presence of Christ Jesus, the intercession of St. Mary and the protection of St. Joseph be with all our families.
Fr. John Samuel
