Today is the Feast of the Holy Family, always the Sunday after Christmas. All of the readings today talk about family. In the Gospel reading from Luke 2, we read about the finding of the child Jesus in the temple. Jesus probably traveled to Jerusalem with His extended family.
Chances are probably pretty good that in the very recent past you spent some time with family. This year we were able to have all of our children and grandchildren around for Christmas. What a blessing!
Most of us would probably not think of our family as “holy.” But the family is a divine institution. Your family is holy not because of the actions of its members (for most of us, many of those actions could be very unholy), but because it has been created by God. The same is true of the Church. While all of her members are sinners, the Church is holy because she was instituted by God. So, though it may be difficult to do, let us each look at our family as holy, and strive to imitate the perfect example of family, the Holy Family.
Father, we thank you for the gift of family. Help us to be holy, as you have created us and called us to be. Amen.
0 comments