Readings: Sir. 3:2-6.12-14; Ps 128; Col. 3:12-21; Matt. 2:13-15.19-23
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE OF FAMILY IN THE SOCIETY
Family, as we know, is always seen as 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 every last Sunday of the year that falls within the octave of Christmas or 30th of December if the last Sunday is new year, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth as a way of addressing with joy some of the issues within the families of the world, wishing them the peace and love that Jesus brought among us this Christmas.
The Lord Jesus was born and he 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 life.
The Holy Family of Nazareth went through many trials, beginning from the events of the annunciation, the birth of Jesus, the presentation at the temple, the massacre of the innocents, the finding of Jesus at the temple and the flight to Egypt, 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 when it says: The Lord honours the father in his children, and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons. Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins, he who honours his mother is like someone amassing a fortune. My son, support your father in his old age, do not grieve him during his life.
And our second reading reminds us that love is the source of harmony in the family. Little wonder St. Paul 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 all 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 our family and us to do the will of God at different stages of our lives and so ensure the peaceful existence of our families.
Dear friends, let us learn to make the Holy Family of Jesus a model of our family, for in our societies today, family life and values are no longer guaranteed, as the powerful influence of secularism and materialism is 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 practices 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 to 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 have 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 day.
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