It is very interesting that when God created man, He thought of all his needs: ‘The Lord God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone...”’ (Gen 2:18). For man, it is not enough to have all the material things he requires, but first and foremost, he needs love. As the pinnacle of all creation, God created the couple, or rather the family. He knows that we humans come from Him; within us, whether we know it or not, accept it or not, there is the stamp of God who created us. God is Love, and therefore love is the most important thing for us. The greatest need of man is to experience the unconditional love of parents and loved ones. However, foolish are the parents who do not lead their children to taste the infinite love of God, which far exceeds even their own love for their children. All human love, no matter how great, is nothing compared to God’s infinite love for us. It is no wonder that Saint Teresa of Calcutta used to say that ‘among all the poverty she experienced in her life, the worst type of poverty is spiritual poverty’: a person who does not taste God’s love is the poorest, even if materially they are the wealthiest.
Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. How grateful we should be to God for our families! Surely, the best way God wants to show us His love is through the family. However, like everything else that exists in this world, even the family is not perfect. The most common way God shows us His love is through one another, and each one of us has the freedom to say yes or no to this call of God. This applies also within our families. The spirit of darkness knows that when we feel loved in our families, it becomes much easier for us to feel loved by God. Therefore, he has always been at work to destroy our families. The problem has grown in our times because many families, unfortunately, have lost their faith and thus neither place God at the center of their families nor are vigilant against the snares of the spirit of darkness, which aims to wreak havoc in their families.
In today’s readings, the Lord hears the tearful prayer of Hannah: the first lesson today is that ‘a family that prays together stays together.’ Let us be honest with ourselves: we find time for many things, but how much time do we find for God and prayer? Saint John, in today’s second reading, tells us, ‘Beloved, see what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!’ We cannot have a personal experience of how much God loves us unless we take prayer seriously. It is this personal experience of God’s love that enables us to love one another not as the world loves, but as He loves us. ‘This is His command: to believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and to love one another...’ Today’s psalm reminds us, ‘How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord.’ How lovely is the house of the Lord to us? How much importance do we give to Sunday Mass? How much do we cherish the Lord’s Day as a day dedicated to God, family, and rest?
In today’s Gospel, the family of Nazareth faces a great problem: Jesus gets lost, and they spend three days not knowing where He is. This couple, full of heavenly light, amazes us with how they handle the situation. Firstly, when they realize the problem, they do not waste time blaming one another or arguing about whose fault it is. Instead, ‘they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him.’ This shows that what mattered to them was not who was at fault, but finding a solution to the problem. Secondly, when they found Him, His mother addressed Him as ‘Son,’ immediately establishing a bond of love rather than using any other title that could have hurt. Thirdly, her words were not accusatory but expressed the pain and worry she and Joseph felt. How important it is for every family to keep these lessons in mind. Let us ask ourselves: how aware am I that my family, with all its flaws, is the greatest treasure God has given me? How much effort do I make to keep God at the center of my family? When facing problems within the family, how careful am I to avoid hurting others with my words or actions, knowing that with God’s help, every problem can be faced?
+ PRAYER +
(After the homily, this prayer was recited over all the families present, followed by a blessing with holy water)
O Holy Family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, into your hands we entrust all our families. Bless and protect every family; be present in every home and fill it with the joy of your presence, with love and peace that only you can bring. Be especially present where there is suffering and illness; bring comfort to those going through difficult times, and let your presence be a balm for those burdened by the weight of life. Today we ask for a special blessing on all couples, that they may recognize that their families are incomplete without you. Instill in all hearts a love for prayer and the Eucharist so that the love of God may be the foundation upon which daily life in every family is built. Fill our couples with a spirit of sincere dialogue, respect for each family member, and the strength to forgive and seek forgiveness. Only in this way can our families truly become domestic churches.
We pray for the children in our families: help parents with young children to instill in them a friendship with Jesus, the greatest Friend they could ever have. Instill in the hearts of our youth the gift of faith and help them understand that Jesus is the greatest treasure they can find in life. Help parents whose children have drifted from the faith to never lose hope in praying for them and, above all, to show them through love that faith gives life meaning and that the human heart remains empty without God.
Above all, we pray for another family, the family of Faith, which is our parish: help us grow in love and respect for one another. Help us, like the early Christians, to be known above all for the love we show one another. Help us to be a family of families according to your heart.
And may the Lord bless and protect you all and your loved ones. May He make you a source of grace, peace, and love wherever you are, especially within your families, and may He always fill you with the power of His Love: + the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.