Jesus’ Family Dear Friends in Christ, this first Sunday after Christmas is always the Solemnity of the Holy Family, an opportunity to celebrate the family into which Jesus was born and in which he grew up. This Sunday is also an opportunity to pray in a special way for all families. I think that this is particularly important in our day, when so many families experience divorce and separation and all manner of brokenness. Last year, Pope Francis had this to say about the Holy Family: “Jesus wanted to belong to a family who experienced these hardships, so that no one would feel excluded from the loving closeness of God… God is present where man is in danger, where man is suffering, where he is fleeing, where he experiences rejection and abandonment; but God is also present where man dreams, where he hopes to return in freedom to his homeland and plans and chooses life for his family and dignity for himself and his loved ones.” The hardships of which he speaks are the exile to Egypt and being forced to live as refugees in a foreign land. I think that Francis’ words remind us that God is present in all of the aspects of our lives, from the greatest sufferings and dangers to our highest dreams and joys. Jesus experienced all of these things in his years living with Mary and Joseph, so that we could know that our God is always with us. Yours in Christ, Fr. Scott
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 17:47:01 +0000