Obedience to the will of God was the heart of the Holy Family’s life
Reflections on the readings for The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (December 29, 2019): SIR 3:2-6,12-14; PS 128:1-2,3,4-5; COL 3:12-21; MT 2:13-15,19-23
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
This feast day centering on the Holy Family invites us to contemplate the lives of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Scriptures reveal only a few events of their early years together. We meet Mary as she obediently, wholeheartedly agrees to become the Virgin Mother of the Son of God. We meet Joseph the carpenter of the house of King David. He is confronted with the pregnancy of his betrothed and strives to be loyal to the law of God and to shield Mary from harm. At the word of God’s angel, Joseph takes Mary as his bride and the two begin their lives together by doing what these holy people always did – putting God’s will first. Like most married couples, they faced concerns and difficulties from the start. They had to travel to Bethlehem for the Divine Infant’s birth. Then, they had to go to Egypt as refugees to avoid the wrath of King Herod. Finally, they were able to return to their homeland. “‘Rise, take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.’ He departed for the region of Galilee, He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazorean” (Matthew 2:22-23).
So Mary set up their home and cared for Jesus while Joseph provided for their livelihood. To all appearances, they were simply a good family of faithful Jews, a rather insignificant part of their community. Jesus, Mary and Joseph always focused their hearts and their actions on supporting and loving one another and fulfilling the will of Almighty God. Nothing was more important to the Holy Family, and nothing should be more important to ours either.
