Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (Year B - 12/31/2023)

Good morning. This past week, my wife and I got to spend cherished time with our nine-year-old goddaughter and her family. We arrived in time to attend the 4:00 Mass for children on Christmas Eve and watched her proclaim the Second Reading. She did an amazing job. We were so proud of her. When I teach Baptism classes, I tell the godparents that the greatest gift that they can give their godchildren is, prayer, especially if they are like me and live far from their godchildren and cannot visit them as often. For me, I pray for our goddaughter every morning. I ask Mother Mary to watch over her, protect her, and help her to know that she is loved by her parents, grandparents, and godparents. Most of all, I ask Mother Mary to guide our goddaughter to her Son so that the peace of Christ dwells in her heart and that she feels the closeness of his Presence in her life and know how much her Father in heaven loves her.

The night before we had to leave to return home, our goddaughter was very sad that we were leaving the next day. She wanted to play with us for as long as she could to maximize our remaining time together. When we finally told her that she needed to go to bed, she started to cry. I had to step away because there are two things that I am not good at when it comes to our goddaughter - discipling her, because she has me wrapped around her little finger (just ask Theresa), and seeing her cry. Theresa, on the other hand, held our goddaughter close and shared a tender moment with her, consoling her and reassuring her that everything will be okay. Later, when I gave our goddaughter a “good night” hug, I felt in my heart the love and tenderness that Saint Joseph must have felt each time he held baby Jesus in his arms and saw love that was so pure and so innocent gazing back at him. My desire for our goddaughter whenever we are apart is so beautifully worded in today’s Gospel - that, like the child Jesus, our goddaughter “[grows] and [becomes] strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God [is] upon [her].”

My sisters and brothers in Christ, we are reminded every Christmas season that there is no greater love than the love that our Father in heaven has for each and everyone of us - His chosen ones, holy and beloved - because “by the Holy Spirit [the Only Begotten Son of God] was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man” for our salvation. God could have come to us in any form; yet, He chose to come to us as a little child. He could have been born in a royal palace surrounded by servants; yet, He chose to be born in a manger surrounded by animals. He could have been the son of a rich and powerful man and woman; yet, He chose to be the Son of a young Jewish girl and a carpenter from Nazareth, an obscured town in Galilee. And, by choosing to be obedient to his mother, Mary, and Joseph, his father, Jesus sanctifies family life - in all its mundaneness of everyday life and with all its complexities - in the same way that he sanctified the water of baptism when he allowed himself to be baptized by John the Baptist.

And while Jesus was the “consolation of Israel” that the righteous and devout Simeon was waiting for and the “redemption of Jerusalem” that the prophetess, Anna, was waiting for, Christ is the “light” that dispels the darkness in the world for all of us. Jesus brings forth hope, peace, joy, and love into the world through the “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” of each and every one of our families, with his own family as the model for all families to imitate. In the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the feast which we celebrate today, we find obedience to God’s law in how Jesus honored his father and mother in everything because it is pleasing to the Lord. Mary and Joseph also followed the law of Moses with regards to their purification. And although Scripture does not mention it, it is not hard for us to imagine that Jesus took care of Joseph when he was old - in the way that we heard described in today’s first reading from Sirach: “grieve him not as long as he lives. . . revile him not all the days of this life. . .” We know that Christ made sure his Mother was cared for because, before he died on the Cross, Jesus gave Mary to John, the disciple whom he loved.

Saint Teresa of Calcutta once said that “[love] begins at home, and it is not how much we do. . . but how much love we put in that action. . . [whatever] you do for your family, your children, your husband, your wife, you do for God. All we do, our prayers, our work, our suffering, is for Jesus.” Thus, with the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as our model to imitate, we learn how to grow in our faith as a family by praying for each other, praying with one another, and reading Scripture. Saint Paul encourages the Colossians and us to “[let] the word of Christ dwell in us richly” so that whatever we do “in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Moreover, we learn from the Holy Family how we can have hope in times of suffering so that we can support each other. When we place our hope in Jesus, “the peace of Christ” controls our hearts because we know that “all things are passing away” and “God alone suffices.” Finally, in the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, we learn how to experience a depth of love for each other that imitates the love that God has for us, that Jesus calls us to love one another. In particular, we put on love, “bearing one another and forgiving one another” and, if the circumstance calls for it, “in all wisdom. . . teach and admonish one another”

Jesus desires to help our family grow in faith, to be filled with hope, and to experience the love of the Father. Jesus stands at the door of our family home and knocks, calling out to us: “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me” (Revelations 3:20). He desires his peace to control our hearts even if external forces attempt to rob us of his peace. For instance, last Monday, the Vatican released the Fiducia Supplicans, or the Declaration on the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings. This caused a “firestorm” on social media and, suffice to say, it disturbed the peace of many Catholics. In situations such as this, I would encourage us to practice “the pause” - take a moment to breathe, say a quick prayer to ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit, and then go to the source document and read it, rather than rely on what the secular media is reporting or what other people’s opinions are on the subject matter. If we do, we will find that it is “in accord with unchanging doctrine, marriage is a union of one man and one woman in lifelong fidelity and openness to children” (Bishop Robert Barron, 12/21/2023). Above of all, it is important for us to remember that we are all God’s family. Let us practice “the pause” so that nothing breaks the bond and closeness that we share as beloved sons and daughters of our Father in heaven.

As we prepare to ring in the New Year tonight and look forward to 2024, let us reflect on our family life and ask ourselves these questions. Is our family built on a “rock” foundation that can withstand life’s tempests and not collapse? If yes, then what can we do to keep the foundation “rock” solid - spend more time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament or, perhaps, go to daily Mass at least one day a week? Or is our family home built on a “sand” foundation that collapses into complete ruins? (Matthew 7:24-27) If it is, then what can we do to put ourselves and our family on a “rock” foundation - attend a Welcome Retreat or join a faith-sharing small group? Are there any areas of unforgiveness that we need to work on or people in our lives that we need to forgive or seek their forgiveness? Finally, how can the peace of Christ be in control in our family and our home? I believe the answer to this question is, listen to Mother Mary’s advice and “Do whatever [her Son, the Prince of Peace,] tells you.”

I want to end with this prayer of Saint Teresa of Avila for the peace of Christ to control our hearts and our families: “Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.” May the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, bless us all. Amen.