SUNDAY DECEMBER 31, 2023
FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY B
Genesis 15:1-6;21:1-3
Hebrews 11:8.11-12.17-19
Luke 2:22-40
THE FAMILY OF GOD DWELLS IN FAITH.
Recognising their being created as the tiniest nucleus of the society, the family stands out as the very basis of the larger society in God’s plan and design. Faith in God is the bedrock on which successful family life stands. That is, the greatest virtue that helps to harmonize, sustain, prosper and give credence to the family is their faith in God. Such faith that acknowledge their dependence on God and acts from there. Every member of the family receives their responsibility to one another and to God by their faith in God.
Today, the Church as always celebrates the feast of the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. This family stand out as the model for all families on earth. The Church presents them as the family to emulate in forming and living out our family lives.
What is unique in the family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus is their dependence of God. Their life of faith in God, which can be seen in their many actions: their following the plans of God, their acceptance of the divine will, divine direction, divine grace and authority. They never carry out anything without reflecting the direction of God. They stand to do the will of God. Mary received the message of the incarnation and followed it to the last, submitting and giving helping hand to further the message. Joseph too followed same path and obeyed the demands of God in accepting Mary and taking responsibility for the Child Jesus. They lived in faith, trusting in God’s providence, plans and actions. Even Jesus himself came into the world and took our nature, our flesh in obedience to God as the letter to the Philippians tells us. Jesus lived in obedience to the Father.
This is a family united by their faith in God, they lived by faith, and they were able to triumph over the world by their faith in God.
The same can be said of people who lived and obeyed the injunctions of God, they lived in faith. Abraham as presented to us in the first reading, was acclaimed the father of faith because he believed in God’s promises, and followed the promises of God. The promise of having his own son, his heir was granted him by God. His faith accepted it even though the conditions suggest otherwise. But Abraham remained resolute, faithful and hopeful. His faith endeared him to gaining the blessings of God. And it was through this faith that he was able to raise his own family.
Families are borne by faith. Father, mother and children live by faith in God. The husband and wife needs faith to live well and bear children. They need faith in God to accept themselves, trust themselves and continue to exist and live together as one. Without faith in God and in themselves they will definitely fail.
Faith is the key to their sustenability as a family. And such faith means acceptance of themselves as gifts to each other, as well as seeing themselve as sacred, planned and designed by God for each other. Until this is seen and lived out, families will continue to live in suspicion and strive.
In the gospel, we are presented the story of the presentation of Jesus in the temple. Here again we see Mary and Joseph living in complete dependance and obedience to divine will and initiative. They accepted the tradition of their fathers and not minding that the Child has been declared to them as the Son of God and the saviour of the World, they still went ahead to present the child as ordinary person just as others were presented in the traditions of their forefathers.
By this, Joseph and Mary displayed again their great faith In God. At this scene, is played out the authentication of the person of Jesus as attested by Simeon and Anna. They came to give credence to the person and mission of Jesus before Joseph and Mary.
Every family is a creation of God, born of God and designed by God. Every family must try to comply to the dictates of God, live in obedience to God’s commands, obedience to one anothter, living in trust and total respect for the family. Such can only be accomplished in having faith and acting out of faith in God.
The result of faith is further detailed in the second reading with Abraham and Sarah as models of faith in the scriptures. We must build up our faith in God to sustain our family status and responsibility.
The bottomline to all this is that God created our families and designed them to flourish. From the family we gain what each individual is today. And from the family, the larger world is designed. The beauty of the world can only begin from the family as it’s tiniest nucleus. If this tiniest nucleus is destroyed the human family is equally destroyed. But if it is good the entire larger family of man will be good.
The family exists and flourishes when it recognize its sacredness, dependence and sustenance on God. It is only by this faith in God that families are happy, fulfilled and can prosper.
It is in their relation with God and their faith in God, that they can see their individual responsibilities, and contribute meaningfully to their overall happiness and eternal rewards.
Heavenly Father, you created our families & sustains them. Help us to recognize the sacredness and designs in our families and work with you in obedience to uphold, enhance & protect our families. Lord bless our families and keep us faithful to your commands through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
