Sunday, December 26
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Readings
1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
In those days Hannah conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him. The next time her husband Elkanah was going up with the rest of his household to offer the customary sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vows, Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband, “Once the child is weaned, I will take him to appear before the LORD and to remain there forever; I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite.”
Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh. After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull, Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said: “Pardon, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.” Hannah left Samuel there.
Psalms 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10
R. (cf. 5a) Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Happy they who dwell in your house!
Continually they praise you.
Happy the men whose strength you are!
Their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
O LORD of hosts, hear our prayer;
hearken, O God of Jacob!
O God, behold our shield,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. And so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.
Luke 2:41-52
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.
Reflection
Our celebration today invites us to consider the holiness of our own families. Can our families even be holy? Is it even possible? The chaos of life, the struggle of inter-family dynamics, broken relationships, complicated trauma and drama—all together they form an equation that seems to make holiness challenging, if not impossible.
There are several options for readings with this Feast of the Holy Family…Sirach (Sir 3:2-6, 12-14), Colossians (Col 3:12-21)…but while they are beautiful texts—really, even potential Mission Statements for our families—they don’t really articulate what makes a family holy per se. Anyone or any family can be compassionate, forgiving, patient, etc. but what is it that specifically makes a family holy?
Well, if we look at the gospel reading today (Lk 2:41-52), what is of highest priority for the young Jesus? Being in his [heavenly] Father’s house. Jesus is found in the Temple, he says he “must” be there. Jesus lives out obedience to Mary and Joseph, and obedience especially to his heavenly Father. What makes a family holy is not simply being loving, kind, committed to service and works of charity, but even more than that, living out a reverence and faithful trust in God the Father as being THE priority of life.
Could I invite you to see the chaos and the difficulty of family life as the context for your holiness? The obstacles and challenges around you—while often may seem insurmountable—are yours and your family’s path to sanctity. Trust in our heavenly Father at all times to provide for your needs and to be your strength. It’s what makes a family holy.
Peace,
Fr. Foley
“Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.”
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