THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY [C] (Dec 26, 2021)

(1Sm 1:20-22, 24-28; 1Jn 3:1-2, 21-24; Lk 2:41-52)

 

On this feast of the Holy Family, let us reflect on the privilege we enjoy, of belonging to the most beautiful family the world has ever known: the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. The Church is our sacred family. This family sanctifies its members by the holiness of its head, the Christ. All the holiness that belongs to this family is conferred by Jesus to its members. Since the head is holy, the family is holy. We say in our creed: I believe in the Holy Catholic Church. We may think, is that really true? We know about ourselves how sinful and unworthy we are. We also hear a lot about other members of the Church who do not behave in manner worthy of this adjective “holy” of the Church. Only those who are not in mortal sin are really members of the mystical body of Christ. Mortal sin separates one away from God and therefore one cannot be in the Holy Church where God is sacramentally present. The Church is the sacrament of God, sign and reality combined.

 

That there are sinners, like you and me, in this family hardly needs pointing out. Nor should it surprise us. Jesus saw his mission as bringing healing and hope to sinners. It is the same for the Church. In Jesus’ day, some sinners welcomed his love, let it turn their lives around, and we know them as saints. Others brought about his crucifixion. When disciples of Jesus sin, we do so in spite of who he is, and against his teaching and example. It is the same today with the Church. We sin in spite of the beauty and grace that make the Church what it is.

This beautiful family is the ‘Body of Christ’ in the world, the ‘Temple of the Holy Spirit’. It embraces and consecrates us in the sacrament of baptism. The risen Christ, through the Church, continually pours into our hearts that Spirit of love that binds the heart of Jesus to the heart of God. He promises a bridegroom and a bride to consecrate their mutual self-giving in such a way that they are a sacrament to each other of God’s love. When a disciple dares to take up his challenge and ‘do this in memory of me’, by offering his or her energy to carry on Jesus’ ministry in various parts of the vineyard, he promises to sustain them by his love and to make their ministry fruitful. He is there to embrace the sinner and to sustain us as our earthy journey nears its end. At every step of our journey, at every turn in the road, he is there, present in his Body, assuaging our hunger and quenching our thirst.

Think of all the beautiful people who are part of our Church family – and it is the desire of the heart of Jesus that no one would be left out. All are welcome, and we are to play our part in making that welcome apparent. The synod that is coming up in Rome in April is meant to take improving actions after listening to all the people in the Church family. This listening is not just from church going Catholics but even from other Christians from different traditions and also from non-practicing Christians. The Church takes it seriously and wants to listen to its children of all walks and traditions. Therefore, for the coming two-three months let’s take some time to think and discuss about how we can make the Church really a family that can grow not only in number but in depth of holiness of life.

 

 On this feast of the Holy Family let us renew our commitment to not only to our own family, but also to our Church family. This includes a searching of our souls to see if, with God’s grace, we can move towards resolving any hurts that keep the family divided. Let us commit ourselves also to work for social and especially church structures that welcome men and women to enrich us by sharing their special gifts. Let us reflect more deeply on the feminine as well as the masculine experience of love as we look to God, our Father-Mother. By baptism we are all brothers and sisters and we are all called to be fathers and mothers to each other as well. We need everyone’s gift, everyone’s love, for we need each other to be sacraments of the fatherly and motherly love of God.

May the celebration of this feast of the Holy Family help us to dedicate ourselves to the well being of our both families: the Church family and the biological family. May the Holy Family of Jesus Mary and Joseph become a beacon light for us in this endeavour.