This Sunday was the celebration of the Holy Family. Jesus, Mary and Joseph together form the Holy Family in God’s plan of Salvation for the world. God sent His only Son, conceived in Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit and Joseph called to be Father.

God has a plan for everyone. Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel to ask Mary to be the mother of Jesus and her ‘yes’ changed everything for all time. An angel appeared in dream to Joseph to ask him to accept Mary which was hard for him in the circumstances. But God had been preparing Mary and Joseph throughout their lives for this moment.

God has a plan for everyone but the plan for Mary and Joseph was so special. Mary has the title of Mother of God and Joseph is regarded as patron of the universal Church, fathers, families and workers.

Joseph was called to take the Holy Family as refugees from Bethlehem to Egypt to escape Herod because Herod feared for his own kingship and ordered the killing of children of two and under in Bethlehem and the surrounding district. Later an angel appeared again in a dream to Joseph and told him to go back to Israel when Herod was dead.  

The manner of Jesus’ birth speaks of God’s love for everyone no matter how poor and underprivileged. The Holy family became refugees. How should we regard refugees today?

Children need to be raised by love. Love makes us whole. Faith in God and openness to God’s love is the ideal setting for children to grow with the opportunity of discovering God’s plan for their life.  

This is an essential and fundamental truth of Christian Faith.

We can see in this story the wonderful dignity of each child. Each new life is made in the image of God and life is a continuum from conception to natural death.

So the feast of the Holy Family is a celebration of God’s plan for Salvation and also a celebration of the family and of life.

The more we listen to God’s Word in the bible and especially the teaching of Jesus and the more prayerfully we listen to the teaching of the Church which is God’s family, the more happy and fulfilled we will be. 

I came upon this quote from the Don Bosco magazine winter issue

(See Don Bosco Publications Bolton)

See; www.salesians.org.uk

“Who can add to Christmas

The perfect motive is that God so loved the world.

The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son.

The only requirement is that we believe in Him.

The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.”

Corrie Ten Boom

Worth sharing

Have you ever felt there is something more? In the Gospel for the second Sunday of Advent, John the Baptist as he is known, who is reckoned to be the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, is calling people to a complete change of heart – a new beginning. People are listening and flocking to him in a remote part of Judea. They are immersed in water by John signifying this new beginning. They see that goodness is lacking in their lives and really want to make a fresh start.

But for John this is a precursor to something far greater. John tells them there is one to come after him who will baptise not with water but the Holy Spirit. He warns the Pharisees and Scribes to be serious and prove it by showing the appropriate fruit.

Saying sorry is not the same as a change of heart. Advent is an opportunity to go deeper – who have I hurt, who am I not helping, who can’t I forgive? So what needs to change in me?

Repentance is a grace from God and so is the ability to change. Christ is knocking at our door – but the handle is on the inside.

Are we prepared show the appropriate fruit?

In last Sunday’s Gospel, the first Sunday of Advent, we hear the message, “be ready.” The example given is of the people at the time of Noah who were taken by surprise by the flood. Advent is a time of personal renewal of getting ready. A time to prepare for Christmas yes, but Jesus will come again for each one of us – are we ready for that? It’s not just about the end of the world in the far distant future but when we pass from this life, which could be anytime. We just don’t know what’s around the corner.

So Advent is a time of personal renewal. To be able to look forward to meeting Jesus when we leave this life. What are our values? Are we living a moral life? Do we care about those around us and about our world? Do we pray? Are we part of the Christian Community? The Church is Christ’s Body on earth.

Now is the time to think about it.