Rev.
Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
FAMILY:
A DOMESTIC CHURCH AND THE NUCLEUS OF EVERY HUMAN SOCIETY
Every
last Sunday of the year that falls within the octave of Christmas the Church
celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth as a way of addressing with
joy all the families of the world, wishing them the peace and love that Jesus
brought among us at Christmas. Family as we know is the nucleus of life and the
seed of every human society. It is a domestic church, a place of faith, a place
of prayer and a place of loving concern for the good of one another.
Little
wonder the Lord Jesus was born and grew up in a human family. In this way, he consecrated the family as the first and
ordinary place of his encounter with humanity. Jesus was born in a stable and
had a manger as his first home, but the love of Mary and Joseph made him feel
the tenderness and beauty of being loved. Children need this kind of love from
their father and mother. It is this that gives them security and, as they grow,
enables them to discover the meaning of life.
The
Holy Family of Nazareth went through many trials, beginning from the event of
the annunciation, the birth of Jesus, the presentation at the temple as we have
in the Gospel passage today, the flight to Egypt, the massacre of the
innocents, the finding of Jesus at the temple, and so on. Telling us that whatever
we are passing through as a family, we can draw strength and grace from the
Holy Family, who trusting in divine providence found their stability, and
guaranteed Jesus a serene childhood and a sound upbringing.
Thus,
our first reading talks about the relationships in the family, thereby
reminding us how Abraham our father struggled with his family in doing the will of God.
He patiently waited for God’s promise to be fulfilled. And in our second
reading, we heard how demand was
made of him and his family to do the will of God at different stages of their
lives. This they carried out in faith and trust in God’s providence as they
uphold their family values.
To
understand this St. Paul in his Col. 3:12-21 said: As God’s chosen people, holy
and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of
you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over
these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
He
continues: Wives he said, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in
the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children,
obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or
they will become discouraged. So today,
demand is made of us and our families, to do the will of God at different
stages of our lives and so ensure the peaceful existence of our families.
Dear
friends, today we are reminded that family is a domestic church and the nucleus
of every human society. This is important because in our societies today,
family life and values are no longer guaranteed, as the powerful influence of
secularism and materialism are fast destroying all the great values and virtues
that sustain the family and society.
Today
the only hope we have is the family and our religious practices which are under
serious threat as they stand against the agenda of
the secular world. Thus, we must uphold our family values and practices, with
fraternal love and correction as the hallmark of sustaining our Christian
virtues and values in the family and community.
Also,
we must hold on to the virtues and practice of our faith and not give in to the
pressure of secularism and materialism. Let the Holy Family of Jesus be a model
for us to follow. And as we struggle to build a holy and lovely family, let us
entrust all families to Our Lady and St Joseph, so that we do not lose heart in
the face of trials and difficulties, but always cultivate a conjugal love and
devote ourselves with trust to the service and protection of life which is a
product of the family.
LET US
PRAY: Heavenly Father, a lot of families in our world today are struggling to
survive as a result of secularism and materialism, which has taken away the
sacrificial love that sustains the family. As we celebrate the feast of the
Holy Family, may you restore all the families of the world with your love and
peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a joyful and glorious
end-of-the-year celebration.
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