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(31st December) Homily for the Feast of Holy Family

READ: (Sir 3:2-6, 2-14; Col 3:12-21; Lk 2: 22-40)

REFLECT: Let’s widen our hearts to spread the family of God

Dear friends, today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. We all know that it is generosity which brings one close, which creates a filling up of the gap that we feel in life, which acts as a medium of bond, which assures of help and support. The approach of God too is one such, where he opened his heart to prove his everlasting love by sending His only son down to earth to save us and take us closer to him.

There is a story of a father; a father, his own son and a friend were sailing in a boat. All of a sudden, the boat collapses because of a heavy wind; both gasp and pant for breath. With the help of the rope the father saves his friend without risking his life for his own son. The Friend asked, and the reply of the Father was heart touching and amazing. “If I were to save only my son, it would have only a duty for the sake of duty, but now it is not a duty but generosity and beyond duty.” I can love my own but what about who are not my own.

Our understanding family is entirely different from the understanding of Jesus. Some of us understand family consists of father, mother and children, some others still understand that including parents and children the kith and kin too are part of a family. But Jesus goes several steps further in understanding of the family of God. Therefore, family for him does not consist of parents, children and kith and kin rather all. He does not limit family to a four-walled room rather expands, extends and exceeds a far greater reality. That’s what we find in the Gospel reading of today. Duty for the sake of duty is only an obligation. Duty beyond duty is what God calls us for. It is charity. It is generosity. It is a kind act. Yes! Jesus was different in every approach towards his people. Whether it was to come down from heaven, live on earth, to love and serve people or went back to heaven. He dared to be different.

This is what Jesus too did in His life; If you love only those who love, what credit is this to you, in what way are you different? (Matt 5:46); Bless those who curse you and pray for those who persecute you (matt 5:44); I have come to seek and save the lost, last and the least (Lk 19:10); I have not come for respectable people but outcasts and sinners (Lk 5:32); Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, you do unto me (Matt 25:40); Those who do will of God are my mother, brother, sister (matt 12:50).

All these witness that Jesus was not limiting in any way to one particular family but included all in one family, where everyone can live in unity, fraternity, liberty and charity. This act of charity what we see in the first reading from the acts of the apostles where early Christians shared the possession all that they had by placing it in common for the benefit of all. Such an expansion, extension and excessive understanding of family is difficult for all of us today. Because somehow we all have become content with the self and selfie promoting world, wherein, the common good sounds unpleasant, unnecessary and unwanted. But it is the need of the hour. If Christ had to go many steps beyond to tell the world that Christian living is basically community living for the common good as a one family, then I think we need to abide by what he has asked of us to be as authentic Christians. I would like to share with you the reflective points of Pope Francis, who significantly speaks for the good of every human family; According to Pope Francis: There are three things that make a family truly holy and divine;

1. A family prays: a family that prays together stays together.

Do we pray as a family? One might say how it is possible as we come at different times from the office. Pope Francis says, that we need to have humility and realize that we need God, his grace and mercy. The husband for his wife, the wife for her husband, both together for their children, the children for their grandparents….praying for each other.  This is what it means to pray in the family and it is what makes the family strong, their bond strong and their life strong.

2. A family keeps the faith: a family that lives the faith loves the faith one holds.

How do we keep our faith as a family? Do we keep the faith for ourselves, in our families, as a personal treasure like a bank account, or are we able to share it by our witness, by our acceptance of others, by our openness? We all know that families, especially young families, are often “racing” from one place to another, with lots to do. But did you ever think that this “racing” could also be the race of faith? Christian families are missionary families. …They are missionary in everyday life, in their doing everyday things, as they bring to everything the salt and the leaven of faith! Keeping the faith in families and bringing to everyday things the salt and the leaven of faith.

3. A family experiences joy: a family that experiences joy expresses joy in life.

You can regard it as a kind of “homework”.    Is there joy in your family? Examine?  You know very well that the true joy which we experience in the family is not superficial; it does not come from material objects, from the fact that everything seems to be going well…  True joy comes from a profound harmony between persons, something which we all feel in our hearts and which makes us experience the beauty of togetherness, of mutual support along life’s journey.  But the basis of this feeling of deep joy is the presence of God, the presence of God in the family and his love, which is welcoming, merciful, and respectful towards all. 

And above all, a love which is patient: patience is a virtue of God and he teaches us how to cultivate it in family life, how to be patient, and lovingly so, with each other. To be patient among ourselves. A patient love.  God alone knows how to create harmony from differences.  But if God’s love is lacking, the family loses its harmony, self-centeredness prevails and joy fades.  But the family which experiences the joy of faith communicates it naturally.  That family is the salt of the earth and the light of the world, it is the leaven of society as a whole.

Pope Francis very clearly says, I would like to tell you something very personal. I like St Joseph very much. He is a strong man of silence. On my desk I have a statue of St Joseph sleeping. While sleeping he looks after the Church.  Yes, he can do it!  We know that. When I have a problem or a difficulty, I write on a piece of paper and I put it under his statue so he can dream about it. He also assures of our recourse to the Holy Family, which stands as a model and example to follow by being prayerful, faithful and joyful. Today in a special way we pray that we promote prayer, faith and joy in our families and be a witness to many in spreading the joy of the gospel; to every nook and corner of the world.

RESPOND:

Do we pray, do we have faith and do we experience joy in our families?

Let us pray that we cultivate the habit of praying together as family, have faith in Jesus at all times and experience joy in our families by the grace of God. Amen.

Happy Feast of the Holy Family. God bless us all…

Live Jesus!