Sunday: HOLY FAMILY Date: December 31, 2000 Year: C The readings: [Sir. 3:2-6, 12-4; Col. 3:12-21; Lk. 2:41-52] The message: God's children, saints and holy families. Prepared by: CATHOLIC DOORS MINISTRY Total words: 1503 |
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Good morning! How appropriate it is today for all the holy families to be present to commemorate the Feast of Holy Family Sunday. Oops! I just saw some people shrinking in their seats. This must be a sign to tell me that not all the families have, as of yet, been perfected as holy families. That is okay! I understand. No one is born holy as a saint; all have to grow in the holiness of God to become saints. And today's readings teach us a lot of wisdom regarding how to become holy families.
When addressing the subject of family, this may have a different meaning to different people. As a general rule, a family is a unit that consists of biological parents and children. At the same time, there are foster families and adoptive families. And there are spiritual families. Each of these play an important role in the individual sanctification of its members.
The First Reading from the Book of Sirach teaches us that God has given authority to the parents over their children. The Lord honours a father above all his children. In matters of differences within the family unit, the Lord honours the decision of the father as the final authority.
In the relationship between the fathers and their children, those who honour their fathers, they atone for sins. The kindness that is shown towards their fathers will not be forgotten because it will be credited towards their sins. The Lord God is not saying that family life will always be easy and that the opinion of the fathers will always agree with the opinions of their children. On the contrary, at times, the fathers will be required to make a final decisions that may draw opposition. At the same time, children must still respect the father's authority and honour him.
In the relationship between the mother and her children, the Lord confirms the mother's right over her children. This is an interesting point because with a right comes responsibility and accountability. While the father has the final say in the home environment, it is the mother who is given the right for the raising of the children. With this holy right comes the mother's obligation to raise the children in the Catholic Faith, teach them what is morally right from wrong, the love and knowledge of Jesus, etc...
As to the relationship of the children towards their parents, those who honour their mother, they are obeying the Lord through such actions. Those who honour their father, they will have joy in their own children and when they pray, their prayers will be heard.
The child that respects his mother, he will be accumulating treasures in Heaven for judgment day. And he who respects his father, he will live a long life.
Children are reminded to care for their fathers in their old age. They are not to make life difficult for them as long as they live. Should their minds fail them, they are to be patient with them. This is especially important because they have all their faculties that permit them to understand the aging process.
While the First Reading emphasizes authority, responsibility and accountability, today's Second Reading provides specific guidelines for the family unit to shine in the love of Jesus. In this reading, the members of the family are called "God's chosen ones, holy and beloved." A little earlier, I made a reference that we are not born holy. Rather, we must grow in holiness to become saints. In truth, that is not quite accurate!
Do you know that there are many Bible passages that refer to us Christians as "saints?" For example, there are, Rom. 8:27; 1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Cor. 1:1; Ephes. 1:1; Col. 1:2, 4, 12, 26. And there are Bible passages that make reference to our holiness. One passage, making reference to the new creation that we have received during the Sacrament of Baptism, states that "those who have been born of God do not sin, because God's sin abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God." [1 Jn. 3:9] In other words, while we sin through our worldly minds, this certainly having an influence on the judgment of our souls, the spiritual mind of the spirit within us, the spiritual forms that give life to our physical body, [Jas. 2:26] it is unable to sin because it is holy in nature.
In spirit, born of the godly seed, Catholic families are holy in nature, therefore qualifying to be called holy families. This spiritual nature of man opposes his human nature, the worldly mind. Because of our two natures, we are pulled this way and that way. Part of us desires so much to please God in prayers, thanksgiving and worship while the other part of us just loves the worldly pleasures, money, and let us not forget fame. Therefore, when we say that we are not holy, it is true. In our human nature, we are sinners and cannot please God. At the same time, we can say that we are holy, that also being true. In our spiritual nature, we are holy and we do please God.
Today, we are commemorating the holy nature of families. Embracing the spiritual mind, we are called to strive to overcome the human nature in order to become pleasing to God in our worldly actions. To allow our spiritual nature to shine in the world, we have to embrace compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. We have to bear with one another. We have to forgive one another - just as the Lord has forgiven us. Most important of all, we have to put on love. Perfect love unites all the fruit of the Holy Spirit. If we have no compassion, there is no love in us. If we cannot forgive, there is no love in us. If we are impatient, there is no love in us.
The love that our spiritual nature enjoys is a perfect love. As our spirits share in the peace of Christ, our physical minds also have to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts so we can truly be one Body as we were called to be.
In thanksgiving to Christ for the spiritual nature that He has given to each and everyone of us, we should strive to allow His Spirit to move freely through us. We should teach and correct one another in all wisdom. We can do all these things in singing psalms, hymns and other spiritual songs to God.
Whenever we do something, in words or actions, we should always do these things in the Most Holy Name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Jesus. When we give someone a gift, we thank the Father through Jesus for having inspired us towards doing such a good deed. And we thank Him for allowing us to shine in love, in friendship, in caring, etc... We even thank the Father through Jesus for having provided the money so we could afford to buy the gift that resulted in a good deed.
Always embracing a spiritual mind, the wife is called to be subject to her husband who is accountable to God for the family unit. At the same time, the husband must also embrace a spiritual mind and should never treat his wife harshly. Such is not spiritual in nature. Such is not Christian in nature. Nor is it Catholic in nature. Perfect love must exist at all times and in all things between the husband and the wife.
The children must also embrace a spiritual mind in everything they do. Be they little, 10 years old or teenagers, they must obey their parents, for this is their duty before God.
Sometimes, our worldly minds are so overcome by the human nature that it is difficult for us to know how we should behave. How do we judge if a certain way is a holy way and acceptable to God? Today's Gospel Reading answers that question.
God gave us the Holy Family as our perfect model. Mothers have the Blessed Virgin Mary as an example of holy motherhood. Fathers have St. Joseph as an example of holy fatherhood. And all the children have the Child Jesus as a perfect example of holy childhood. When we are not sure if a certain behaviour is acceptable or not, all we have to do is ask ourselves, "What would the Child Jesus do?" "What would the Blessed Virgin Mary do?" "What would St. Joseph do?" Once we have asked ourselves the question that is appropriate to us, I am sure that the Holy Spirit will guide our hearts towards doing what is right. For only good things can come from the Holy Spirit!
Tomorrow, we are starting a new year. Let us strive to remain as God's children, as saints and as holy families so we may always find favour with God.
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The readings...
[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]
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First Reading...
"For the Lord honors a father above his children, and he confirms a mother's right over her children. Those who honor their father atone for sins, and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure. Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children, and when they pray they will be heard. Those who respect their father will have long life, and those who honor their mother obey the Lord.
My child, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he lives; even if his mind fails, be patient with him; because you have all your faculties do not despise him. For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and will be credited to you against your sins." [Sir. 3:2-6, 12-4]
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Second Reading...
"As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting to the Lord. Husbands love your wives and never treat them harshly.
Children, obey your parents in everything for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart." [Col. 3:12-21]
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Gospel Reading...
"Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, 'Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.' He said to them, 'Why were you searching 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. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor." [Lk. 2:41-52]
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