encountered everything else that makes up family life.

Mary and Joseph, as parents are exemplary of course and Jesus was an obedient son. But
their family would not have been exempt from hurt and challenges that most families face.

This is important for us to know. Because God wants us to know, through the human family
of Jesus, that the Holy Family is not reachable, something that is too good to be true and
therefore an alibi/excuse for us to pursue growth and holiness for our families. Kaya nga hindi
ginamit ng Simbahan ang word na “Perfec Holy Family Lk 2:22-40
Intro: On the last Sunday of the year, we honor the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. In
honorig them, we also honor all families, big and small. And in honoring all families, we honor
the family of God, the Church.

It is an important feast, not only bec. of the ROLE IT PLAYED IN OUR REDEMPTION, but
also the fact that it is still the model of all Christian family even today.

What was it like to live day in and day out in the household of Holy Family? …would have been,
in many ways, just like any other home. They related together, talk, had fun, disagreed, worked,
eat, dealt with problems and t Family” or “Ideal Family.” God wants us to see that it is not
perfection, in relationships and life, that we must achieve for our families, but the holiness which
means God as the center of their lives.

In the Jewish culture where Jesus grew….

--family values are given importance. In fact, the history of Israel is transmitted through the
retelling of the stories by the elders in Jewish families. Jewish religious practices are handed
down to the children by their parents. This is the challenge to every Christian families
today---to preserve the good family tradition-- on how to live as a Christian family like the
readings is telling us today.
Holy Family challenges us with 2 things:
1. Children are gift from God, while parents deserve their children’s respect and
obedience;
When parents learn to realize that their children are gifts from God, they will love them
unconditionally (more than their dogs!). This love can be shown by being responsible in
nurturing their children not only by satisfying their material/physical needs, but more
importantly, by satisfying their spiritual needs.
As for the children, they shld be obedient to their parents (Sirach: fidelity to parents is
fidelity to God). There can be only our parents---irreplaceable…that children must respect and
obey their parents, when they grow old, to take care of them. We all now that Filipino family
values are changing nowadays. The Book of Sirac remind us that to respect, honor our parents
is not only the right to do but it is what God is asking us to do because He will never forget it
and it is the ransom for our sins.
Mary and Joseph were not rich couple (a carpenter and a housewife) but they were
able to raise Jesus in a responsible manner…so poverty is not an excuse!

2. to extend the boundaries of our family: our community outside

St Paul teaches general principles about our BIGGER FAMILY—the CHURCH and our
COMMUNITY: our EXTENDED FAMILY …about community life: pakikipagkapwa-tao;
To bear with one another and forgive one another as the Lord has forgive…so we must!
To do this: we must clothe with the attributes of Christ:
COMPASSION, KINDNESS, HUMILTY, GENTLENESS, AND A LOT OF PATIENCE.
LOVE as the final garment which covers all the others and binds them together
In conclusion, the only sure formula for a strong happy family---may it be our own families, the
Church and community, is GOD. Whenever God’S LOVE PREVAIL in our families, WE
REMAIN STRONG AND RESIIENT in the midst of trials and difficulties.
We are fortunate to have our families…let us show them our love each day…LIKE WHAT THE
FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY and JOSEPH EXEMPLIFIED in the humble home in Nazareth.