31st December 2023: Feast of the Holy Family
Readings: Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3; Psa 105:1-2,3-4,5-6,8-9; Heb 11:8,11-12,17-19; Lk 2:22-40
THEME: MY FAMILY, MY GIFT
Dearest in Christ, today, the last day and the last Sunday of 2023, the Church focuses on the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. When God wanted to come to man, he came through a family. In celebrating the Holy Family, the Church reminds us that we are members of the family of God and that God wants us to live as one human family redeemed and divinely filiolized by Christ.
FAMILY IS MY GREATLY DESIRED REWARD
The first reading presents us with dialogue between God and Abram. We remember that in calling Abram, God took something away from him – his family. In Gen 12, God asked Abram to leave everything including his father’s house and move to a land unknown to Abram.
Accepting the call and request of God, Abram accepted to leave behind everything but his wife and his brother’s son, Lot. In Gen 13, Lot, who until now could be seen as serving as Abram’s son, departed from him. Hence, Abram, now old, was left only with his old wife, Sarai.
At that age, Abram had no hope that he and his wife could give birth to a child (a son) again (cf Sarai’s
statement in Gen 16:2 and Gen 18:12). We must know that for every Jew, inability to bear a child (and especially a male child) was seen as God’s curse (cf Gen 16:2). They believed that after death, one’s position in the other world afterlife is determined by whether he has a son who would always pour wine on his behalf, that is, who will always remember him. The more frequently a dead is remembered, and wine poured on his behalf, the higher his rank among the dead. So, to die without a son was as terrible as death itself.
At this point, Abram and Sarai were very old and already afraid that they would not have any child. It was in this situation that God came, as we have in our first reading today, asking Abram not to be afraid and promising him that he (God) will shield him and that his (Abram’s) reward would be great. Abram’s response to this shows that his interest is in no other reward but heir.
For Abram, of what good would any reward do him if he had no heir? Hence, what matters for Abram was not heir, a family, a generation. Abram had a slave child, Eleazar (God is help), born in his house. Abram needed to know who would stand for him when he was no longer there. He was ready to make
Eleazar, the child of his slave, his heir.
1. Abram’s interest was not so much on material reward but on God’s building a family for him.
2. Sarai remained tightly tied to Abram throughout the journey. When Abram set out to the journey of faith, Sarai did not hesitate, nor did she refuse to follow him. Wherever Abram was found, there also was Sarai.
THE COVENANT OF THE FATHER IS EXTENDED TO HIS SON(S)
In Gen 12, God promised Abram that he would make him a great nation. In Gen 15:5, God
promised him that his children would be as numerous as the stars in heaven. But we know that Abram had only Isaac from Sarai. But the promise made to Abram was as well made to his son(s) after him. The covenant which God made with Abram (Gen 17:1-8) was expressed in
and through his sons after him. Abram lived a holy life, a life of obedience, and through that, he gained generations after him God’s favor. Abram left a wonderful heritage to his son Isaac.
Through his obedience to God, even in matters that sound strange and inconvenient, Abram taught his son Isaac that God will always provide (Gen 22:8,14).
1. Fathers are to make sure that they build a friendship with God which will guide and direct their families and their sons after them.
2. We are to form holy alliances, build healthy and godly friendship with others, which will be beneficial to our families and to those coming after us. Do not make commitments or form alliances that will be detrimental to those coming after you.
3. You are expected to leave a good name for those coming after you. What would your sons after you face upon hearing your name? Would your children consider your name an abomination and something shameful to be identified with? Abram’s generations were proud to even use his name as a supplication to God. What name and memory do you leave behind for those coming after you?
BRING YOUR FAMILY AND PRESENT THEM TO THE LORD
In the gospel reading, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus into the temple in order to present him to the Lord. They knew that Jesus was the Son of God, and beyond human laws (cf Lk 1:31-35; Matt 1:20-21), yet, they took him to the temple. They were devout parents who dedicated their child to God in his temple. Where do you take your children to? Many parents have tied
their children to many altars that are not of God. As a parent, it is your duty to set your child from the first day on the right track. Where you take your child to, goes a long way in making him what he would be.
Dearest friends, as we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, we are called to be one family of God. Furthermore, we must remember that there is no perfect human family in this world. And every family has some crosses that follow them. Right from the conception of Jesus, and the living together of Mary and Joseph, it was not always a happy moment. As Mary was
about to give birth to Jesus, there was no place for her in the Inn, and Joseph had to accompany her until they found a lonely home for animals.
Some days after the birth, they had to run to Egypt in order to save the child Jesus from the anger and envy of king Herod. As they joyfully went to the temple to perform the ritual, Simeon pronounced a ‘curse’ to Mary on account of the child (Lk 2:35). Jesus himself gathered his disciples, forming a family with them.
In this new family of Jesus, there were James and John, the hot-tempered guys (Lk 9:54-55) and ambitious (Mk 10:35-40); there was Peter who was to deny knowing Jesus (Jn 18:15-18,25-27); there was Judas who was to betray Jesus (Jn 18:1-11). Jesus knew all these and knew all their personalities and their imperfections, yet, he chose them and even called them friends (Jn
15:15).
In our families, none of us chose who were to be his brothers and sisters. And it is not a coincidence that we are members of a particular family in which we are now. God has a plan and a reason for forming us a family. We must learn to accept, live with and accommodate
others. We must help one another to grow and to be the better part of himself/herself.
Fr. Nnamah Henry Chukwuezugo
Catholic Diocese of Aguleri