Readings : 1Samuel 1:20-22.24-28; Ps 84; 1John 3:1-2.22-24; Luke 2:41-52
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
LEARN TO UPHOLD YOUR FAMILY'S CHRISTIAN VALUES AND PRACTICE LIKE THE HOLY FAMILY
The family has been described as the nucleus of life and the seed of every human society. The word "nucleus" is often used to describe the core of something. In the context of family according to asocial anthropology Bronisław Malinowski, the nuclear family is considered the core or basis of all family structures.
Family 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, 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 this Christmas.
The Lord Jesus was born and grew up In a human family. In this way, he consecrated the family as the first and ordinary means 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 human 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, the flight to Egypt, the massacre of the innocents, the finding of Jesus at the temple just as we have it in the Gospel passage today. 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 by reminding us about Hannah and how God helped her resolve the problems in her family. Today, she came to thank God, saying: This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked him. Now I hand him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is handed over to the Lord.’
And our second reading reminds us that love is the source of harmony in the family. So today, demand is made of us and our families to do the will of God at different stages of our lives and ensure the peaceful existence of our families.
Dear friends, 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 practice, 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 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 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 Sunday Celebration.
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