Collect Series
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FEAST OF HOLY FAMILY YEAR A
COLLECT
O God
who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family,
Graciously
grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life and the
bonds of charity,
And so
in the joy of Your house, delight one day in eternal rewards.
Through
our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who
lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one
God, for ever and ever.
REFLECTION
QUESTIONS
In
making this prayer tangible for during the week, the following reflection
questions emerged:
1. What
is the shining example of the Holy Family?
2. Why
did God us the example of the Holy Family?
3. What
answer do I give to someone who mocks the Holy Family and/or who says they are
irrelevant today?
4. What
are the virtues of family life?
5. How
will I practise the virtues of family life this coming week?
6. What
spiritual goals will I implement in this
coming year?
Matthew 2:13–15, 19–23
Theme: “Out of Egypt I called my Son.”
Setting the Scene
The tenderness of Bethlehem gives
way to urgency and danger. An angel warns Joseph in a dream to take the Child
and His Mother and flee to Egypt, for Herod seeks to destroy Him. In the dark
of night, Joseph obeys immediately. The Holy Family becomes a family of
refugees, guided only by faith and trust in God’s promise.
In Egypt, they live among
strangers, waiting until another angel announces that it is safe to return.
They settle in Nazareth, fulfilling what the prophets had foretold: that the
Messiah would be called a Nazarene.
This passage reminds us that
God’s protection often comes through quiet obedience and that holiness
sometimes requires courage in the face of uncertainty.
Gospel Reflection
Matthew presents Joseph as a man
of action rooted in faith. He listens, discerns, and obeys without hesitation.
His silence speaks volumes — a faith that does not argue or delay, but trusts
completely in God’s plan. The Holy
Family’s journey mirrors the journey of Israel — out of Egypt, through exile,
and back into promise. Jesus, the new Moses, will later lead His people from
the slavery of sin to the freedom of grace.
Their flight also reveals the vulnerability of love. God enters a world
of danger, not as a powerful ruler but as a Child carried in the arms of His
parents. Holiness here is not serene comfort but courageous love that protects,
endures, and trusts.
Personal Reflection
This Gospel speaks to
every family that has faced fear, change, or hardship. The Holy Family shows us
that divine strength often takes the form of quiet resilience. Like Joseph, we are called to listen to God’s
voice, even when it leads us into unfamiliar places. Like Mary, we are called
to trust that God’s providence will not fail us.
Every home becomes holy
when love is stronger than fear, when faith lights the path through
uncertainty, and when obedience is shaped by compassion.
The flight into Egypt
reminds us that God’s plan is at work even in the detours — that our journeys,
too, can become sacred if we walk them with trust.
Questions for
Reflection
- How do I respond when God’s plans interrupt my own?
- What can I learn from Joseph’s quiet, immediate obedience?
- Where do I find the courage to trust God in times of uncertainty?
- How might my own family or community be called to “flee” from harmful patterns or influences?
- What helps me remember that God’s protection sometimes comes through simple faithfulness?
- In what ways does the Holy Family’s journey reflect my own spiritual pilgrimage?
Closing Prayer
Lord God,
You guided the Holy Family through danger and exile,
and led them safely into Your promise.
Protect our families with the same watchful love.
When we face fear or uncertainty,
teach us to listen as Joseph listened,
to trust as Mary trusted,
and to walk in faith as they walked.
May our homes be places of refuge,
our hearts temples of Your presence,
and our lives paths of obedience to Your will.
Amen.
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