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 Feast of the Holy Family, Year C: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: Imitating the virtues of the Holy Family

Readings: 1 Sam 1:20-22,24-28; 1 Jn 3:1-2,21-24; Lk 2:41-52

Dear brothers and sisters, today is a great feast that celebrates the beauty of an institution established by God from creation – the Family. The Church presents us the wonderful family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as a model of every Christian family; she invites us to learn some virtues from them so that we would be to build up our own families in accordance with the will of God. 

The first reading showed us how a mother, who appreciated the fact that children are gifts from God, helped her son to know God and to enter into God’s service for all the rest of his life. The psalm reminds us how lovely God’s house is and how blessed those who make this house theirs would be. If we make our families the dwelling for God, we will be happy and blessed. In the second reading, St. John showcases love as the uniting force for all those who are children of God and, consequently, for every family. There cannot be a family if love is absent. In the gospel, we saw the amount of love the father and mother of Jesus showered on Him by not relenting until they had found Him and ensured that He was safe. We equally saw the obedience of Jesus to his parents. There are some wonderful lessons we can learn from the three persons (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph) of the Holy Family.

Now, let us turn our attention to the person of Joseph to learn some virtues of a husband in the family. Joseph was a man who showed perfect love, devotion, and care for his wife, Mary, even in the most extreme circumstances. Every husband should be a man of devotional love and care to his wife in all circumstances of life.

Joseph did not want to disgrace his wife when he found out that she was pregnant outside their marriage. What does this teach us? It tells us that every husband should seek what is best for his wife. Tolerance is the key.

Joseph was a protector of the Holy Family, especially in times of danger, guiding the Holy Family to Egypt and back to protect them from the Massacre of Herod. Dear friends, every husband should protect his family from all threats to peaceful existence.

With Mary, Joseph searched for Jesus when he was lost in the temple. Loving parents would always search for their children whenever they were not where they wanted them to be. They will not allow their children to be lost to bad friendships in the society.

Let us also look at the person of Mary. Her silence and faith in God are golden. She was a woman of faith, who believed in God and put herself at the service of God and her husband. Any woman who is close to God would love her husband and children unconditionally.

The peaceful home of the holy family was a demonstration that Mary was a woman of peace and few words. Peace should be the second name of every woman in the family. Every woman ought to be a messenger of peace, love, and care to her husband and children. Mary was a caring mother to her family, a housekeeper who was close to her son. Every woman ought to be a homemaker and a close friend to her children to know their needs and problems.

Together, parents have the responsibility to build a home where peace, love, care, and tolerance will be present; a family where children can grow in love and peace. Marriage is an institution of love.

Parents have the duty to train their children not only in school but also in the faith. Dear parents, teach your children faith in God, a good moral life, and good societal values, and they will be wonderful treasures to you. The family is the microcosm church, the first place where the children learn about God and morality. Therefore, parents should unite their families in prayer and the word of God every day. A family that prays together stays together. Do not forget to lead them to church to hear the word of God. The book of Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train your child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

How about the children? Obedience is the duty every child owes to parents. Christ was obedient to his parents: He obeyed and followed them back to Nazareth when they found him in the temple teaching the teachers of the law; He obeyed Mary at the marriage in Cana and, thus, performed his first miracle. Obedience to parents is the requirement of the fourth commandment. It says, “Honour your father and your mother that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” (Exodus 20:12). This is the only commandment that has a promise attached to it. Children should not grieve their parents by the type of friends they make, and they should not abandon their parents in their old age. 

I end this homily with the advice of Saint Paul to families in Ephesians 6:1-4: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers and mothers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

May your family be blessed.

Fr. Isaac C. Chima