A Word from Your Pastor - December 28 Feast of the Holy Family

Dear Parishioners:

The Solemnity of the Holy Family is a wonderful reminder that God is with us in our world just as it is.  There are times we can have the impression that God does not understand or that He is beyond the reach of the ordinary.  Remembering the simple fact that Jesus lived family life with Joseph and Mary in Nazareth for most of His years on earth, we can come to grasp the profound and yet simple truth that God is with us here and now, right where we are.

The Family is God’s way of expressing among us the Unity of the Trinity, the Relationships shared among the Three Divine Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  As the fundamental building block of society, the family is in need of attention, both at the level of those who live in it and in society at large.  We are living in a time that de-values family and fights against it in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.  We have to be on our guard and to watch how we respond to the challenges given to family life.

Generations are meant to be together and to share wisdom across the years.  In our time, families are often divided by a multiplicity of activities.  More insidiously, they are  often separated by attitudes of disrespect and an unwillingness to listen.  Parents need the wisdom and example offered by their own parents as they seek to raise their children and to share fundamental values with them.  When was the last time you really listened to what your children’s grandparents told you about what your children need from you?

In our time, family life is disrupted by overly busy schedules and by endless activities that take them away from home.  Meals are perfunctory at best.  Time spent just being with one another without interruptions by gadgets, games and technology is at a premium. 

Did you hear the one about the little boy who asked his Dad how much money he made in an hour?  When told $50 dollars an hour, the boy checked his pockets and found $3 in change.  He asked his Dad to borrow $47.  His Dad was surprised at the odd amount, but decided to give it to his son.  The son added his own change to what his Dad had just given him, and handed it back to his father, saying, “Can I buy an hour of your time?”

After the Masses today, we will be celebrating individual family blessings.  All are invited to receive the blessing as a family and to take it home with you.  Let’s work together this year to establish homes and families that welcome Jesus, Mary and Joseph to serve as their model.