This is a reflection on the Mass readings of the day.
During this octave of Christmas, we are reminded that Jesus’ mission, from the moment He took on flesh, was not a one-man show. It was the mission of a family.
St. Joseph’s (earthly) portion of that mission ended before Jesus’ public ministry. His job was to bring Jesus successfully to manhood, and He fulfilled that mission fully.
Mary’s part in the mission continued as the perfect accompaniment and complement to Jesus’ own role. If Jesus was God who took on flesh to pay the infinite debt for our sins as only God could, Mary was the sinless creature who gave the definitive “yes” to God’s action, and indeed the gift of her whole life, to second, further, and augment the reach of Her Son’s infinite merit.
The first reading from Sirach illustrates the beauty that is the family unit, and the rewards for respecting and living its sacred character. The second reading from Colossians explains how holiness is lived out in a family.
Marriage, as we know, is a sacrament that is received throughout the life of the union, renewed in its sanctifying power over and over again through the fulfillment of the state of life that today’s readings describe.
If marriage is a sacred sacrament, a sacred state, then the Holy Family is the prototype of that sacred sacrament, the prototype of that state. It is a community wherein, in a sense, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The family relationship becomes an entity unto itself, as a reflection of how the Holy Spirit–the embodiment of the love between the Father and the Son–is a true entity.
If we understood the exalted character of the sacred Christian family, we would fight harder to preserve and cultivate its relationships in all their pristine beauty–even while each constituent member is inevitably replete with imperfections and limitations.
Ideas for conversation with the Lord: Contemplate your family–each member, and the family unit as a whole. Consider it’s special character, that makes it so different from other families. Thank God for this unmerited gift that plays such a critical role in your life, and ask Him for His grace to protect, enhance, and perfect it for His glory.
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