The Family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus: Model of Holy Family

 Reflection on Today's Readings, The Solemnity of Holy Family, Year C, Sunday 26th December, 2021
Texts:1Sam.1:20-22.24-28; Ps.84:2-3.5-6.9-11; 1John 3:1-2.21-24; Luke 2:41-52
Today is the Solemnity of Holy Family. We are given, today, the family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus as the model of a holy family. We see, in today's gospel reading, that Mary and Joseph were devoted to God, they kept God's words, His commandments. This is clear it the words of the gospel: "The parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover." They observed the feast of Passover yearly in faithfulness to God's words. Every parent is called, today, to keep God's words, His commandments. We also learn from Jesus' parents that rearing children is not an easy task, it is full of challenges. This is evident in the gospel reading as Mary and Joseph looked for Jesus for three days and also wasted a day journey. Time, money and other resources must have been expended as they looked for Jesus. They must have spent more than their budget for the travel for the feast.
In the life of Mary and Joseph, we learn that parents need to be patient with their children. Mary and Joseph were patient with Jesus Christ. Parents are to introduce their children to faith in God. Mary and Joseph introduced Jesus to faith in God as they took him along with them for the feast. Children are also to be allowed and taught human relation, the love of neighbours. It is clear in the gospel reading that Mary and Joseph allowed and taught Jesus to relate with others and to love neighbours. It was this side of them that made them not to be aware of Jesus' absence in the journey.
We learn from Jesus Christ that every child is to be obedient to their parents, for it is said of Jesus Christ thus: "And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them". Parents also need to be observant of their children, taking notes of what happens to them and thinking about them to know what to do. Mary did it for Jesus. It is said of her thus: "and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man." Being said that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature tells us that parents should see to their children's intellectual, spiritual and physical growth and development.
Parents do a lot in determining what their child becomes. This is evident in today's first reading as Hannah laid the foundation for her son, Samuel,  to become the judge of the people of God. She said, "For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me my petition which I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” The decision to live in the house of God was solely that of the parents of Samuel, he had no part in it. This decision shaped the life of Samuel and what he later became. This shows how important parents are to their children; parents could mar or make their children.
Parents shape the life of their children through the education they give the children when they were young. The education the children received at tender age informs their decision later in life. What a child becomes is not completely independent of the education received from their parents. Though the child may not fulfil the dream of his/her parents, the education given him will definitely influence his/her decision. Parents are  to provide good education for their children, so as to become good persons.
It is through education that parents build the Intellect of their children. Intellect is an important faculty of man; it is part of what makes man. For man to develop his potential, he needs the use of his intellect. Man is able to develop his potential to the level of his intellectual capacity. The limit of a man's intellectual capacity is the limit to which he can develop his potential. Parents must ensure that they provide proper education for their children so that their children's intellect will develop properly. The education given by parents also makes the children to develop humanwise. Parents are the ones to inculcate in their children human values such as truth, excellence, patience, sacrifice, love, hardwork, self-discipline, justice, righteousness, faith, hope etc.
Parents also shape the lives of their children by their examples of life. Every parent must ensure that they lead by good examples. Parents need to live the virtues they want in the lives of their children. Parents need to show in their lives the possibility of virtuous life. They need to live life of truth, love, justice, endurance, patience, faith, hope, kindness, sacrifice, integrity etc.
Parents also needs to control what their children are exposed to. Many children, these days, are exposed to films that are beyond their age; they are exposed to internet and social media without guidance and control. Children are supposed not to be exposed to internet and social media at tender age, since they could not make decision. At that tender age they take in whatever they see and put them into practice.
The implication of the fact that parents shape the lives of their children is that all the societal ills and moral decadence are the results of dysfunctional families, failure of parents in their responsibilities. To get the society right we must get our families right, every parent must live up to their responsibilities. We see, today, in the life of Hannah that parents build the foundation of their children's lives; parents are to set their children on the right path always.
St. John, in today's second reading, affirms that love is important between parents and their children. Being a parent is more than giving birth or adopting a child. It is love that makes one a parent. Hence, St. John says, "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." Just as love makes God our Father, so also it is love that makes one parent of a child. Some husbands remain husband and never become fathers because there is no love between them and their children. Some wives remain wives and never become mothers because there is no love to bind them to their children. Some couples are just husbands and wives and never become fathers and mothers because there is no love. Love is the essence of family; it binds family together. Some people marry not because of love but because of societal pressure. When there is no love between the spouses, it affects their devotion to the development and growth of their children.
St. John also tells us the importance of keeping the commandments of God. It is by keeping God's commandments that we make our house the dwelling-place of God. St. John says, "All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us." Jesus also says, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them" (Mtt. 18:20). Keeping the commandments of God makes us to have relationship with Jesus Christ and our neighbours. St. John puts it thus: "And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us." This also shows that keeping the commandments of God makes the love within our family flow to our neighbours. By keeping the commandments of God, our family is open to others. Every family must be open to others by sharing love with them.
St. John also tells us that God listens to us when we keep His commandments. He says, "and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him." Every family that prays together and keeps the commandments of God receives whatever they ask. Jesus also says, "Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my father in heaven" (Mtt. 18:19). Praying together as family makes prayer more effective.

O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practising the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity, and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards. Amen. (Collect)

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke