December 26 Sunday Homily

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

December 26, Sunday

Readings (Click here to read full text)

    Reading I: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 or 1 Sm 1:20-22, 24-28

    Responsorial Psalm: Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 or Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10

    Reading II: Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 or 1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24

    Gospel: Lk 2:41-52

Jesus, Raison d’etre of Mary and Joseph

On the Sunday after the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, Christmas Day, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. This teaches us that our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world through a human family, the family of Joseph and Mary. Why do we call them the Holy Family? Is it because their lives are holy? Let us examine our readings today, especially our Gospel.

In one of the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, we reflect on the Finding of Jesus in the Temple which is our Gospel today. Here, we understand that there were a lot of emotions of anxiety for Mary and Joseph when they learned that Jesus was not in the caravan as they journeyed back home from Jerusalem. Our Gospel tells us that they "looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him." They lost Jesus and searched for Him for three days until they "found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions."

Like many parents who lost a child, Mary and Joseph must have been so worried that they never stopped searching for Him. What makes them holy is that their lives revolve around Jesus. Generally, just look at how parents transform their lives when their first child is born. From being selfish, going out with their barkadas on a drinking spree, and doing a lot of other things into staying at home or returning home from work early just to be with their baby. From sleeping early or late, scanning Facebook posts, watching youtube videos or Netflix, to sleeping or not at all just to watch their baby sleep. The birth of their firstborn child changes everything and everyone's lives for the better; he or she is now the apple of their eye, the center of attraction, the reason for their existence, their "raison d'être."For Mary and Joseph, Jesus was their reason for being, their center of life.  Jesus, then, is the one that makes their family holy.

In like manner, our human families will be truyl holy if we center our lives on Jesus. Let us help each member of our family to make Jesus the apple of everyone's eyes.  John teaches us in our Second Reading: "Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us." Jesus is our reason for existence (raison d’etre), our life, our apple of our eyes if we keep His commandments and remain with Him.

Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

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