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 and close friends 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, in
today’s norm, 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
children and even our grandchildren are under a lot of pressure too, more so
today than ever before, 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 stories about how life used to be. Now more than ever in our human
development there is so little time 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 our high-tech society has
radically changed the way we communicate and interact with one another. And, as
we are beginning to see more clearly, has produced numerous challenges to
family life.
As
we journey through these few days of Christmas, we would do well to contemplate
the love and life of the Holy Family in which the child Jesus was welcomed,
loved, nourished, and where He flourished and came to know and experience the
depth of the love of God. With God’s grace may we do the same.
May
God bless you with the happiest and most peaceful New Year.
Deacon
Tom
Image Credit: Cindy Osborne Drayton
University
