Today is the Feast of the Holy Family. Who can compete with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus? At first glance I would have to say that my little family is out of the running. I am not the most patient person in the world, I can only handle “Bob the Builder” so many times in a day before I start to crack, and then there’s the constant picking up of cars and blocks and stuffed animals that cover every inch of the floor. How on earth is my family at all like the Holy Family?
Instead of focusing on the BIG PICTURE, zoom in and look at the details. The likelihood of me becoming Saint Deirdre is nil, but I can do what Mary and Joseph did. The Gospel reading for today is Luke 2:22-40. It is the story of when Jesus was presented to the Lord in the Temple; Jesus was consecrated to the Lord. So what does that mean for me and my not-so-holy family? To consecrate means to declare something holy or to acknowledge a divine plan and then to take it seriously. Once consecrated there is a lifelong journey that follows.
Perhaps we can be a holy family. My husband and I consecrated our marriage before God. Our son is a gift from God and we had him baptized into God’s family. Now we are on God’s journey. I suppose it’s to be expected that since I am the Divinity Diva I take religious and spiritual education very seriously. I don’t know God’s divine plan for my son, but he’ll know how to look and listen for it.
If your family is not like THE Holy Family, you’re not alone, but we can each be a holy family.
Great to hear from a jewelry/theology diva on family life, Deirdre! When reading this Gospel at a Communion visit today with an older parish member, it struck me how well the parents in the Luke story accepted and lived God's plan for them. We never know where the parenting journey will take us - but if we can bring our children before God and entrust them to God's plan for them, hey, it will always be well! Happy New Year!
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