26/12/2021
December 26. 2021
The Holy Family
"Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family that teaches us about Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This feast is a reminder to each one of us how to live differently in our own families, to make Jesus Christ the center of our life together. In Nazareth, the Holy family lived a Holy life, precisely because Jesus was at the center of it all. We can learn the meaning and mystery of this beautiful Feast and apply it to our own family life. The path to our own holiness is found in living our ordinary family life with the Lord Jesus at the center.
In a beautiful address on December 28, 2011, by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, he spoke of the life of the Holy Family in Nazareth. Here is a short excerpt: "The house of Nazareth is a school of prayer where we learn to listen, to meditate, to pe*****te the deepest meaning of the manifestation of the Son of God, drawing our example from Mary, Joseph, and Jesus."
The Holy Family is an icon of the domestic Church, which is called to pray together. The family is the first school of prayer where, from their infancy, children learn to perceive God through the teaching and example of their parents. In our life within the Christian family, Jesus Christ is truly present. However, we need the eyes to see Him at work, the ears to hear His instruction, and the hearts to make a place for Him to dwell.
Let us pray:
Holy Family of Nazareth, be a model of tranquility and harmony for all families. Give powerful graces to husbands and wives, children and siblings, to overcome differences so they can build a common life with your own as a model. Amen."