Homily on the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
December 31, 2023
Friends,
A few days ago, we celebrated the feast of the Nativity of our Lord. This great solemnity continues to evoke our joy and gratitude that God has made a dwelling on us and an event of our central reality of existence that guides history.
Filled with the same sentiments of joy, today, we are more pleased to celebrate the Holy family, knowing that God is delighted to become a member of the human family. Through the birth of his Son Jesus in a family of Mary and Joseph, God entered the human family and dwells richly in it, rooting us firmly in his grace and peace to help us to love one another and journey together on the path of history. Therefore, it is appropriate to join St. Paul and pray that Christ’s peace will control our hearts, helping us to make our journey and grow in virtues of humility, kindness, gentleness, and patience, which are essential for our relationship with God and one another, and for growth in prayer and thanksgiving to God for his gift of life. In the first reading, Sirach, an older adult who has journeyed in a life full of wisdom, instructs the young to honor their parents because God rewards such people with long lives and progeny.
In the Gospel, Simeon praises God for revealing his eternal saving plan to his people on earth through his Son Jesus Christ, who came to be born into a human family to fulfill the hopes of God’s people and grant them peace. Let peace reign in our homes and at large in the family of humanity by acknowledging the presence of God in every human being and desiring to live together as one family redeemed through God’s love.
This week, let us pray that Christ’s peace will control our hearts as we continue to live together as a family.
Joy and peace.
