Day 3 of 12 Days of Christmas. The Feast of the Holy Family

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DAY3 OF THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2020 SERIES.

Manger scene:12 days of Christmas series 2020 icon.

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY.

We are told in Scripture little about the first years and the boyhood of the Child Jesus. Scripture does tell us the facts of

·         the visit in Egypt also known as the flight into Egypt.
·         the return to Nazareth,
·         the finding of Jesus in the temple as a twelve-year-old boy whilst Joseph and Mary had been looking for him for 3 days.

With the general breakdown of the family, the far-sighted Leo XIII, decided to promote the observance of this feast with the hope that it might instil into Christian families something of the faithful love and the devoted attachment that characterize the family of Nazareth. The primary purpose of the Church in instituting and promoting this feast is to present the Holy Family as the model and exemplar of all Christian families.

Children must learn to see in their father the foster-father St Joseph, and the Blessed Mother as the perfect model for their own mother.  The practical and theoretical lesson to be learned is that the children must learn how to obey and to love their parents in thought, word and action just as Christ was obedient to Mary and Joseph.  Children must learn what it is to perform tasks asked/offered by or for their parents with a Christ like spirit.

It is even more important nowadays with marriage and family life being mocked in the media. However, it is interesting to note that even those who profess no faith have, during the coronavirus have missed being with their families and have longed to see loved ones. Perhaps, this virus has helped people to refocus on what is important especially family.

 

So in our reflection today on the feast of Holy Family we might like to:

• Consider the Blessed Virgin Mary and her role in salvation.
  
  
• Consider the step father role of St Joseph and what father hold really means.
  
  
• Consider the place of children in a marriage and how Christ, the Son of God had enough humility to be obedient to Mary and Joseph.
  
  
• Consider the qualities in Mary, Joseph and Christ in this Holy Family- what qualities can we emulate in our own families?
  
  
• Consider our own childhood.  Today can be an opportunity to forgive parents for their failures or perceived failures towards yourself.  Ask Christ to give healing to deep family wounds of the past. It is also important to remember despite how hurtful your early upcoming may have been, you do have

 

On the Third day of Christmas, the Feast of Holy Family is a great opportunity to celebrate as a family.  It is the feast day of families.  However, there are many lessons that every family, domestic, spiritual family of our parishes and the family of the world can learn from it.