Homily [4] Feast of the
Holy Family of Jesus, Mary &Joseph (YC) Fr. Michael Udoekpo
Readings: Sir 3:2-6,
12-14; or 1 Sam 1:20-22, 24-28; Psalm 128:1-5; Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17or 1 John
3:1-2, 21-24; Luke 2:41-52
Embracing the Holy Family
of Nazareth in this Year of Mercy
This passage from Luke’s
Gospel captures the meaning of what we celebrate today: the beauty, the hard
work, the wisdom, the fear of the Lord, the spirit of endurance, the simplicity,
the sense of responsibility-accountability, the obedience, the love, the
compassion, the commitment, the faith, the fiat, the sense of total
surrendering to the will God, the exemplary acts of mercy of the Holy Family of
Jesus, Mary and Joseph; their overall virtues and their meaning for us- modern
families today, especially in this Year of Mercy! Pope Francis calls this
Jubilee Year of Mercy “a special time for the Church when the witness of believers might grow
stronger and stronger” (Misericordiae
Vultus 3).
In the Christmas stories
of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Mary is completely docile,
obedient and opened to the will of God announced to her by the Angel Gabriel (
Luke 1:38). All that she says, is, Yes, Lord, “Be it done to me according to
your word.” Her husband, Joseph, is “righteous,” and “just.” Even though Joseph
had initial doubts concerning the mysteries of the pregnancy of Mary, he is
opened to the whispering of the angel and of the Holy Spirit.
As narrated, particularly
in today’s Gospel, Jesus was only 12 years old when Joseph and Mary, brought
Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for the customary feast of the Passover, where
the community offers their gratitude and services to the Lord- a type we saw in
many places in the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament, especially in the story of
Elkanah, Hannah and little boy Samuel, in 1 Samuel chapter 1.
In the case of Jesus, he
stayed back in the temple after prayers. Realizing this at home, Mary and Joseph,
were disturbed. They were concerned for their child. Like any other caring and merciful
parents Mary and Joseph anxiously went back looking for Jesus. It took them
another 3 days to recover Jesus sitting in the temple- in his Father’s House,
listening and asking questions related to scriptures and faith. Seeing him,
Mary did not freak-out- much. She did not call Jesus names such as “you this
terrible boy” you this “stubborn child” as some modern parents would do!
Rather, Mary simply and motherly said to Jesus, “Son why have you done this to
us? Your father and I have been looking for you.”
And what was Jesus
response? – He said, to Mary, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s
house”? Even though Mary and Joseph did not understand fully, at this point,
this divine aspect of Jesus, - scripture say, Mary kept all these mysteries in
her heart. Of course, reechoing the
parallel stories of obedience to parents, and gratitude to the Lord in Sirach
and I Samuel, Luke says, Jesus went home to Nazareth with the parents and was
submissive to them in obedience- and gaining wisdom and favor from the Lord!
Amazing faith stories! How would a modern family of Daddy, Mum and
children read or live these faith stories today—a different time and age? These stories I believe must be challenging to
those parents who walk away from their family responsibilities today. It must
be challenging to those parents who leave their children recklessly in the
hands of a third party for personal and selfish freedom or under the pretext of
been too “busy at work.”
Think of what Mary and
Joseph went through as husband and wife. Mary and Joseph would have been
divorced but not for their spirit of prayers, patience, enduring and listening
grace to the voice of the Holy Spirit. What are the causes of high rate of divorce
in our society today? It must be very painful for those who experience this.
The story of Mary and Joseph must be challenging to all of us.
Also the conversation that Jesus had with Mary
when the found him in the temple and his response to accompany them home where
he lived in obedience must be challenging as well to our modern society that struggles
to draw the line between the rights of parents and those of the children. It
must be challenging as well to those children who talk-back at their parents or
disobey them, especially in matters of faith and morality!
How we return home from work on time, share at
family meals, visit our aging and sick parents wherever they are, love,
respect, care, listen, forgive and pray for one another in our families and
communities, especially in this Year of Mercy need a re-modelling after the
life styles of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Remember, the human Jesus would have
learned a lot from his parents, his obedience, his love, his kindness, and
mercy!
Finally, let us pray with Rita Simmonds, for our families (Luke 2:41-52).
In Obedience, away from the Caravan, to your House
Have mercy on our families.
Like Mary and Joseph, whose twelve-year-old son went missing,
We are often anxious and upset
And we cannot comprehend your will.
Let the family be the place where your only begotten Son is free to dwell
Have mercy on us all:
The intact,
The extended
The broken
The blended
The dysfunctional
The upended.
Bring salvation to our steps, and let us open our door and embrace, the strange and holy family of Nazareth!”
And as we approach the table of the Holy Eucharist today, let us pray that each and every one of us may return home today, nourished by the virtues, mercy, and exemplary lives of Mary, Joseph and Jesus.
