December 29th : Feast of the Holy Family - Jesus-Mary-Joseph

 

First Reading       : Isaiah 63:7-9

Psalm                    : Psalm 148

Second Reading : Hebrews 2:10-18

Gospel                  : Matthew 2:13-23

 

On this Sunday we celebrate the feast of “The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” which is very much part of this season and it enables us to continue to ponder the mystery of Christmas and learn the lessons that this season has to teach us. Actually, the birthday celebration of the Christ child naturally leads us to contemplate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as model of all Christian families. For a large part of his life Jesus was part of a family, but his family-life is shrouded in mystery. We always imagine that the Holy Family must have been an extremely happy family. Yet, like every other family, it too had from time to time its ups and downs, its joys and sorrows, its problems and difficulties. In fact, challenges faced them right from the very beginning. In the Gospel Reading of today from St. Matthew which is unique to his Gospel, we have the story of 'the Flight into Egypt.' It shows us that not even the Holy Family was spared the trials and sufferings of every family. But they are called a “HOLY” family because they sought God’s purposes in their lives and not their own comforts. This family is holy because God is present in it and also it is responsive to the demanding word of God spoken in the very trying circumstances of their daily lives. Let us ask the Holy Family to bless all our families.