Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

At this time of year, many of us will have spent time together in our families, made visits to family members or received visits from them.  As we get older, we are also aware of the family members who have gone before us and who are now not with us to celebrate Christmas.  The joy is tinged with sadness.

Here in front of the altar is the Nativity scene in which the Holy Family is prominent and today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.  But I wonder what we think when we hear the name “Holy Family”?  In our own families, as well as love and joy, we often experience pain, misunderstanding and conflict.

In St Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, we hear him giving out family advice or instruction.  “Wives, submit to your husbands…Husbands, love your wives…Children, obey your parents in everything.”  We can guess that St Paul was writing this because he had heard of the problems in family life in the early Christian community.

In the Gospel reading today, we hear about the episode called “The Flight to Egypt.”  Many primary school children across the years have inadvertently drawn pictures of this as a journey by aeroplane!  Joseph was warned in a dream about Herod’s plan to kill Jesus and so they sought refuge in Egypt until news of Herod’s death came.

So, life for the Holy Family began with Jesus being born in a stable used for animals and being placed in a manger, a feeding-box for cattle.  And then it continued with Mary and Joseph effectively becoming refugees.  The Holy Family certainly had its trials and tribulations.  Today we are invited to bring our families before the Lord and to ask for his blessing upon them in 2026.  

God bless, Fr Kevin.