A few years ago, a study was undertaken in America to find the U.S. city with the lowest incidence of heart diseases. The town of ROSETTO in Pennsylvania Sate, a city with majority Italian descent, was selected. (Italian word Rosetto means ‘Rose Garden’). Very soon experts and reporters travelled to the city expecting to see a town populated by non-smokers, people who ate the healthy & correct food, took regular exercise, and kept close track of their cholesterol. To their great surprise, however, the researchers discovered that none of the above was true reason of lowest incidents of heart diseases in the city. Instead, they found that the city’s good health was tied to the close family bonds that prevailed within their families and community. Yes, there is a lot and much more to be reflected on and to be experienced in a family of close and loving relationships.
Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. We look at the Holy Family not as a special family but as a family which fulfilled the scriptures. A family that co-operated with the plans of God in the salvific project. The gospel today presents the Family of Nazareth as a model for all Christian families. II Vatican council calls a Christian family as ‘the domestic church’ as it is the smallest unit of the Church. St. John Paul II identifies a Christian family as a ‘family of God’.
In my childhood, I used to join my parents and siblings, in our everyday evening prayer to recite a prayer in my mother tongue which means, ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph, – make our family like that of yours”.
There are three characteristics with a Christian family which tries to identify itself as a ‘Family of God’.
- A family of God respect the sacredness of Life: Life is sacred as it comes from God – the author of life. Therefore, the church wishes that Christian families would become a sacred space of the promotion lives by denying any practices that would deny the right of the unborn and vulnerable to live.
- A Family of God respects the Sanctity of Love: St. John Chrysostom tells, “When husband and wife are united in marriage, they no longer seem like something earthly, but rather like the image of God Himself.” Family is the sacrament of God's love. Thus, the holiness of Christian families is very important for the church to remain holy. The Scripture teaches us that creating a holy family begins with the unconditional love of husband and wife, rooted in Christ’s love.
- A family of God respects Responsible Christian Parenthood: The gospel today witnesses about the childhood of Jesus parented by Joseph & Mary, “The child grew up, filled with wisdom and age and favour of God and man”. Mary and Joseph brought up Jesus as a complete human being. It means they cared for all aspects of the holistic growth of their child. The child ‘grew up’ refers to Physical Quotient (PQ), ‘filled with wisdom’ refers to Intellectual Quotient, ‘grew favour of God’ refers to Religious Quotient and ‘grew up in favour of man’ refer to social quotient. Thus, responsible Christian parenthood means parents giving enough time and space to ensure the spiritual, intellectual, moral, psychic and social growth of their children.
“If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family.” Said Mother Theresa. We all come from a family. Whether we are married, single, widowed, divorced, consecrated or in the priestly ministry, we all have a role to play in strengthening and encouraging Christian families and understanding the depth of its mission for the
Church and for society. Because family is the basic unit of society and the Church. It is in the family that we first learn to communicate. It is in the family that we learn to love and forgive. We learn what is good and bad. It is in the family that we first learn to pray. It is in the family that we learn to value ourselves and others. Our family forms us for many years
to come. The future of humanity depends on the family because it is through a family that we all come.
‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph, – make our family like that of yours”. Amen.
Fr. Jerry Joseph Vallomkunnel MCBS