The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph - Dec. 29, 2024

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph - Dec. 29, 2024

1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28; 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24; Luke 2:41-52

 

Theme: The Holy Family of Nazareth, the Model for our Families

Nowadays, across the country and worldwide, we are witnessing a breakdown of the family and its values in our societies. In this Solemnity of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the Scripture readings present us with two different families as models: The Holy family of Jesus, the Blessed Mother Mary, and Saint Joseph (the Gospel) and the family of Hannah, her husband Elkanah, and their child Samuel (the first reading). These two families have some things in common. They raised their sons in religious traditions, the parents set good examples of faith for them, they consecrated their sons to God in the Temple, and there is a symbol of the Church (the House of God) where both sons stayed. Then, the sacred author of our second reading reassures us that we are all children of the same Father God through his Son Jesus. This means that the way the Son Jesus was obedient to his parents is the same way we, the children of God, must be obedient to our Father God.

Luke is the only Gospel writer who recounts this story of Jesus lost and found in the temple of Jerusalem. He situates our pericope at the end of the extensive section of the Infancy Narrative (1:5 – 2:52), right before the account of the public ministry of Jesus. This is to present the role of the faithful boy Jesus, who is reared in the traditions of Israel and obeys and fulfills the requirements of the laws. The setting of our passage is in the Temple. So, the extensive section begins and ends in the Temple. This reflects the centrality of Jerusalem and the Temple in the Gospel of Luke.

Our text is a narrative story. It begins with an introduction describing why the Holy Family of Nazareth (Joseph, Mary, and the boy Jesus) went to Jerusalem (vv. 41-42). The body of the text recounts how the boy Jesus got lost, was found in the temple amid the teachers, and returned home with his parents (vv. 43-51). The story ends with concluding comments on how the boy Jesus grew up in wisdom and age (v. 52).

In this Gospel passage, Luke recounts that the Holy Family of Nazareth went to Jerusalem each year for the Jewish feast of Passover as all devout Jewish families did. The event reported in our Gospel passage was on their trip when the boy Jesus was twelve years old. After the celebration, they returned home, but Jesus was not with them; he got lost. Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Joseph returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days of anxiety, they found him in the Temple amid the teachers listening to them and asking them questions. The narrator comments that all those who were listening to Jesus were astounded at his understanding and his answers (v. 47). To his parents who questioned him, trying to know why he did such a thing to them, which caused them great anxiety, Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be at my Father's house?" (v. 49). The narrator comments that his parents did not understand what Jesus said to them. Jesus went back home with them and was obedient to them.  He grew up in wisdom and age and favor before God and man. The Blessed Mother Mary kept all these things in her heart, meditating and reflecting on them.

The first reading is the story of Hannah, who consecrated her firstborn son Samuel to God in the Temple. In the passage that immediately precedes our text, Hannah, who was childless, prayed to God, weeping freely, asking him to bless her with a male child. She promised God that she would consecrate her son to him all the days of his life if God granted her request. Since Hannah was praying silently, Eli, who was in the Temple watching her, thought Hannah was drunk. He came to talk to her, asking her to stop making a drunken spectacle of herself. Hannah told him that she never had wine or liquor; she only poured her heart out to the Lord. Eli understood her and prayed that God might grant her prayer. That reading ended by saying that God remembered Hannah, and she became pregnant (1 Samuel 1:9-19).  Now, our first reading picks up from here. Hannah bore a son and named him Samuel (vv. 20-22). When the son was weaned, Hannah fulfilled her promise. She took him to the “House of the Lord” and consecrated him to God (vv. 24-28).

 These two families teach us some lessons. First, the parents in both families raised their sons in the traditions of the Church. They set good examples of faith for their children. Luke tells us that the Blessed Mother of Jesus “kept all these things in her heart.” This phrase means that she reflected and meditated on them. Here, the Blessed Mother is the first contemplative disciple. We know that her husband, Saint Joseph, was also righteous (see Matthew 1:19). Our first reading tells us how Hannah stayed longer in the “House of the Lord,” praying to the Lord. Her husband, Elkanah, was also faithful (see 1 Samuel 1:3-5, 21).  We are witnessing a breakdown of the family and its values in our societies today because many parents are no longer extended models of Christian faith for their children. Our Holy Mother Church here exhorts all parents to be the men and women of prayer, active in the Church by coming to Masses, especially on Sundays, so that the children see your examples and imitate you.

Second, Hannah consecrated Samuel to God. Blessed Mary did the same with Jesus. These parents teach us to offer our children to God to serve the Church in different ministries and later to continue serving God in the vocations of marriage, priesthood, religious life, or diaconate.

Third, both readings mention the “House of the Lord," where Samuel and Jesus stayed. Jesus let his mother know that it was in the “House of God,” the Church, where he must be. Our youth need to hear that. The Church is the House of God, where they should be frequently for Masses (especially on Sundays), religious education, and other Church activities. Parents should encourage and accompany them to the Church, the House of their Father God.

As we talk about improving our families, we should know that we all are from one Christian family. We are all children of God through Jesus Christ. This is what the sacred author of our second reading teaches us. He calls us to obey God our Father by believing in the name of Jesus and loving one another as Jesus commanded us. He says that we, who keep God’s commandments, remain in him, and he in us, through the Holy Spirit that he gave us (vv. 21-24).

May this liturgy of the Mass enable us to imitate the two families in our Gospel and first readings, especially the Holy Family of Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Joseph, and our Lord Jesus. Amen.

Today, I will bless all the families during this Mass. And I ask all the parents and those who stand for parents that when you return home after this Mass, please bless your homes and family members who did not come to Church today. Please take the Holy water that I am going to bless, use it, and use this prayer that I join here to bless your homes.

 

Catholic Household Blessing and Prayer

(When everybody is gathered, start with the sign of the cross, then say this prayer.)

Almighty and eternal God, your fatherly tenderness never ceases to provide for our needs. We ask you to bestow on our family and home the riches of your blessing. With the gift of your grace, sanctify all of us who live here so that, faithful to your commandments, we will care for each other, ennoble this world with our lives, and reach the home you have prepared for us in heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(You may use the Holy water now and sprinkle the whole house. In the end, conclude with the prayer of “Our Father” and the sign of the cross.)

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor at Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator