“Jesus Advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.” Luke 2 : 52

There’s no escaping it. All of us have family ties. Even if we would like to escape some of these connections, families continue to offer the most vital support for our lives and for our society. For the most part, our families offer us the moral support and strength we need to live good lives based on those spiritual gifts which only God can give. These gifts are faith, which imparts meaning to our lives; hope, which gives purpose to our lives; and love, which enables us to live our lives the way Christ loved us. Where do you think are children to learn the beauty of these gifts if not in the family? Families are the natural laboratory where children learn to put these gifts into practice. God thought so much of the human family that His son was born into one, and lived there for three decades before embarking on his public ministry which lasted only three years. Good families are hotbeds of faith, hope and love, and can surely be called holy. The family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph that brought a new simplicity and excellence into our world deserves to be called, The Holy Family. Today, I’d like to reflect on the import of family.

The Old Testament book of Samuel ( 1 Samuel 1 : 20-28 ) recounts how Samuel was “dedicated to the Lord” and His service from birth. This may appear strange to us, living in a society where getting what you want, is valued much more than service to our Maker. The example of Samuel, however, shows the need for parents to recognize that, though their children may come through them , they are not from them. They are from God who created each child individually to know, love and serve Him, heart and soul.

St. John’s letter ( 1 John 3 : 1-24 ) calls on families to live Christian lives by “loving one another just as He commanded us.” This may seem obvious to us today, but we must remember that John was speaking to a people who had recently been pagans. Their former way of life and way of relating to one another left much to be desired. It is important to acknowledge that the gifts of faith, hope, and love cannot be imposed on anyone for they are gifts of God and the best a parent can do is teach children by example. Such advice is as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago.

In today’s gospel of Luke, chapter 2, the prophet Simeon encounters the family of Jesus as they present Him in the temple. Simeon cradles the child in his arms, and then proclaims Him to be the Messiah, the Light of the World, the Glory of Israel. This is more than idle praise for the newborn. This magnificent Child is not taken to a king’s palace to be raised. Instead, He is returned to the arms of His mother, who with her husband, Joseph, take the child home and raise him as any other child should be raised at that time: lovingly, without fanfare or privilege.
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The gospel makes it clear that God considered nothing to be too good for the Christ Child. So, He placed him in a loving, human family where He “advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.”

As His followers, we should share that same family love by reaching out to everyone, the way Jesus did, as our brothers and sisters. Family is not just confined to the home or to relationships of blood. When Jesus was confronted by people who wanted to take Him away from His work, saying: “your mother and brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” Jesus answered: “who is my mother? who are my brothers?” He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said: “whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” ( Matthew 12: 46-50 ) A true sense of family embraces everybody we come in contact with, irrespective of creed, race, background, nationality or place of origin. It begins in the home but it doesn’t stop there. We are part of God’s human family, and we need to support and love all His children. Even if others don’t possess Jesus’s gift of universal love ( and it is a gift ), that is no reason for you to behave like them. Be grateful that He has favored you with such a precious gift.

Today, take time to thank God for your family ties and for all the people you’ve encountered in life, even your enemies, but especially those who have influenced you in a good way.

Pray for your brothers and sisters who are destitute and are suffering incredible hardships in other lands which lack the material resources we take for granted in this country. Don’t just pray for them, try to help them anyway you can. Bless them all, and ask God’s blessing on yourself and on all your brothers and sisters: the faithful departed, those near and dear to you, and those far away.

Fr. Hugh Duffy