Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (B – White)
ANTIPHON (Luke 2:16)
The shepherd went in haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the Infant lying in an manger.
INTRODUCTION:
As we contemplate the Incarnation of the Son of God, we praise God who created the family of humankind and who, in the fullness of time, sent his Son to be a part of our family. Christmas is a celebration of the family. May today’s feast of the Holy Family of Jesus and Mary and Joseph teach us to value family life and to live in peace with one another as members of the one family of God.
FIRST READING (Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14)
God wills that we live lives pleasing to him. The wise man teaches that a good life means having a family where members love and respect each other.
GOD SETS a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them. When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who reveres his mother. Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and, when he prays, is heard. Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not all the days of his life; kindness to a father will not be forgotten, firmly planted against the debt of your sins — a house raised in justice to you.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5; Response: cf. 1)
R — Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
1. Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored. (R)
2. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table. (R)
3. Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life. (R)
SECOND READING (Colossians 3:12-21)
As members of Christ’s body, we form one family, with him as our head. The apostle Paul tells us how we should defer to one another.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.
ALLELUIA (Colossians 3:15a, 16a)
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the peace of Christ control your hearts; let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL: (Luke 2:22-40)
WHEN THE DAYS were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted — and you yourself a sword will pierce — so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with Wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
REFLECTION:
In the context of Christmas, the liturgy of the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family. Jesus’ incarnation is more than just assuming a human body. He takes our human condition in its entirety, and being raised in a family is one of the dimensions of the mystery of the fullness of God’s revelation in history. On the other hand, this celebration challenges us to live the spiritual and missionary dimensions of every family. The Collect or Opening Prayer at Mass points to the ”shining example of the Holy Family” that is for us to imitate.
Today’s Gospel shows two different views on how we must understand the mystery of salvation revealed in Jesus’ becoming a human being. First, the family becomes the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Simeon and Anna are able to perceive the full accomplishment of God’s plan due to the work of the Holy Spirit; they are led to the Temple by the Holy Spirit. Inspired by the Spirit, they prophesy about the Child which makes Mary and Joseph wonder at what is being said about him. The essence of every family, whether shaped by bonds of blood or by bonds of vicinity and affinity, is its being marked by the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit’s presence allows the peace of Christ to reign in our hearts. Even when we and our families are threatened by all kinds of danger and temptation, the family remains strong, as it carries out Paul’s advice: ”Put on, then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do” (Col 3:12-13).
Secondly, we are also invited to the same amazement of Mary and Joseph regarding their child; we are invited to realize how each member of a family is God’s gift. A gift is a hidden grace, or at least a reality not totally and immediately revealed. It is a fruit of love and has the purpose of generating amazement that leads to deeper love. As a fruit of love, each member of the family is accorded respect and honor, which not only strengthens the family bond but also fortifies their participation in a greater family, that is, the community. It is not without basis, therefore, that the community expresses its concern for families under threat of breakup or poverty.
The family faces different challenges at diverse times, places, cultures, and circumstances. Yet despite diverse configurations, Christian families must look into the ”shining example of the Holy Family” in its essence: a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit where each one understands the other as God’s gift.
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Baruch 3:38)
Our God has appeared on the earth, and lived among us.
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The Mass Readings and Reflections by Fr. Joao Marques Eleuterio is taken from the December 31, 2017 edition of Sambuhay Missalette, printed in the Philippines by St. Paul’s Media Pastoral Ministry. The views and opinions in this post are those of the authors and does not necessarily reflect those of the blog site.
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