Holy Family - 2023

Which One of These Two Are You? In the gospel for this Feast of the Holy Family we have Mary and Joseph with the newborn baby Jesus going to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after His birth to complete Mary's ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn son, in obedience to the Torah (Leviticus 12) In their visit to the Temple they have some unexpected encounters. The first encounter is with a deeply spiritual man who has been given a revelation by the Holy Spirit telling him that he would see in person the Christ the Lord and Saviour before he dies. He is literally compelled to go to the temple this day and when he sees Mary with Jesus in her arms he ask to hold Mary's baby. At this he speaks these prophetic words we read in today's gospel. As he hands baby Jesus back to Mary he addresses to Mary this awesome prophecy of future conflict and death that awaited the baby Jesus. Then to Mary these words: "And a sword will pierce your own soul too." While Christmas is a time for joyful celebration, for the devout Christian, Christmas is so much more. It begins a new year in the journey of faith; a year to experience ever deeper the consolation of the presence of the son of God as well as the challenges this broken world will bring upon us. Mary is set before us as a model for the way we should embrace this time. Luke tells us that Mary "treasured all these things she was hearing and pondered in her heart what they could mean." And so it will be for each one of us as we embark on this new journey of faith into all that lies hidden before us. The prophet wisely warns us that there will be crosses but the Word reveals that in these crosses faith will triumph. The answer to these mysteries we shall find reveal in God's Word that we "prayerfully ponder" each day. “Be careful not to let yourselves become occupied with too much feasting and drinking and with the worries of this life, or that Day may suddenly catch you like a trap. For it will come upon all people everywhere on earth. Be on watch and pray always that you will have the strength to go safely through all those things that will happen and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36