Deacon Tom writes,
“Reflection on the Holy Family”
The
Feast that we celebrate today is a very special one for all who see family as
the center not only of our physical lives but our spiritual ones as well. God’s
unconditional love for us is revealed and reflected in the human family. The
family is where we come to know and experience the deepest form of love – agape
love, that sacrificing and selfless love - in an intimate way. The love
of family surrounding us as we grow through infancy and childhood forms our
behavior and determines how we will interact with those around us throughout
our lives. In our effort to grow in our understanding of God, we begin to see
that God’s self-revelation to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is something
that we see in the structure of our own families. As unfathomable as the
mystery of God’s own nature is, we are, nevertheless, able to experience that
divine nature in a limited way in the love we share first in our families, then
with others.
If
we have contemplated the life of the Holy Family, we might have noticed that it
stands in marked contrast to many of the experiences of families today. Families
are under so much stress with all the demands being made on parents who are
often both working just to provide for everyday needs. Then there is all the
running around – school activities, running back and forth to day care, music
lessons, doctor’s appointments, getting the oil changed, yoga classes, or
getting to the gym. Oh, and don’t forget getting to CRE and Mass too! There
seems to be no end to the demands of contemporary family life. And, sadly,
there are so many families that are unable to maintain the pace or withstand
those stress and for them addiction, violence and abuse can become the order of
the day.
Our
kids are under a lot of pressure too, perhaps more today than in the past, as
they strive to do well in school, to be the student athlete, and to star in the
big play. Our active schedules leave very little time for families to enjoy
quality time together, a time to share each other’s company, and where mom and
dad can teach their children about virtuous living and help shape their
character so that they can know how to live a moral life. Then there are the
challenges poised by families separated by many miles and the difficulties
encountered by single parents.
Isn’t
it interesting that the people of antiquity were receptive to this notion of
“Sabbath Rest” and set aside a complete day on which to rest from their labors and
to replenish their spirits? Let’s face it, unless we are very disciplined
people, we seldom schedule time to rest our bodies, renew our spirits, and
develop lasting and binding ties to family and friends. And then there is this
relatively new problem that we face today, our kids are susceptible to outside
influences earlier today than ever before because of our high-tech society. And,
as we see so often, it’s not always a good influence.
As
we celebrate this Christmas Season let us do all we can to imitate the Holy
Family that nourished Jesus in holiness and grace.
Enjoy
the day!
Deacon
Tom
Image Credit: Cindy Osborne Drayton
University
