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| There is no family without God. |
Texts: Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1 -3; Psalm105: 1-6.8-9; Hebrews 11:8.11-12.17-19; Luke 2:22-40
Today we celebrate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Today’s first reading impresses on our minds that child is joy of every parents. It is the story of how Abram was displeased with being childless and how God promised him a child. He says, O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ... “Behold, you have given me no offspring; and a slave born in my house will be my heir.” God answered him thus: “This man shall not be your heir; your own son shall be your heir.”
We also hear how he became righteous on account of his faith in God. We read, “And he believed the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Today’s second reading also talks of importance of faith. It says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out; not knowing where he was to go.” Obedience to God comes through faith. This tells us that faith should be the foundation of our families. It is faith that connects family with God.
There is no family without God
When family is built on faith, the members act right. Such family believes God is the origin of every family. In the words of St. Paul: “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name” (Eph. 3:14-15). It is God who gives every family its identity; there is no family without God.
Every family that is built on faith seeks God above all things; they respect family as an institution from God. Being a divine institution, they uphold the values set by God for it. They respect the sanctity of life, human dignity, love, procreation, responsible parenting, obedience etc. Such family cooperates with God to nurture life. It is in this way family becomes righteous. Joseph treated Mary with dignity because he was righteous. Scripture says, “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly” (Mt. 1:19)
Abram teaches every family to take their challenges to God
We learn from the life of Abram that God does not fail every family that puts their faith in Him. We read, “The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.” Abram teaches every family to take their challenges to God. He took his childlessness to God. God promised him and fulfilled it.
The gospel reading reminds us of parental responsibility. Joseph and Mary fulfilled their religious duties towards Jesus. We read, “When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’)”
Every child is a blessing
Parents are to see to the intellectual, moral, religious, emotional, social and physical development of their children. Joseph and Mary ensured that Jesus developed in every aspect of human development. Hence, we read, “And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.” We also learn, today, that every child is a blessing. Jesus Christ was a blessing to Simeon, for He fulfilled his hope.
Prayer
O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing 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
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