Reflection on the Feast of the Holy Family
Our celebration of the Holy Family seems to come so soon after we celebrate the birth and infancy of our Divine Savior! During those days of Advent, we kept looking forward to Emmanuel, Lord and Ruler, King of the Nations, Prince of Peace, the infant in the manger. But now, so soon, we are drawn into the reality of this human life of Jesus: the reality of being part of a human family.
Since our contemplation of the holy family is mostly left to our imagination, we might be tempted to imagine Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as the ideal family, unlike us, free from any of the uncertainty and anguish that our own families so often experience. Yet, our gospels present to us a picture of a family that had to deal with their child’s birth while far away from home and family; fleeing for their lives as refugees; the anguish of being parents separated for a time for their dear child. And they knew the pain of having to say goodbye when it was time—as difficult as it may have been. But they also knew the joys and the closeness and celebration of family life as we, too, have known it.
So, perhaps, as we celebrate this feast of the Holy Family, we can still treasure those pictures and scenes of His birth, the joys of sharing this time together, the compassion for those who are without the joys and securities we might now experience—the human reality we share.
We can pray that “over all these we will put on love, the bond of perfection, and let the peace of Christ control our hearts,” wherever we might be this day, whatever we may be experiencing as we advance, with Jesus, in wisdom and favor before God.
Len Kraus, S.J.
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