Beloved in Christ,
Merry Christmas! We celebrate the feast of the Holy Family in the Octave of Christmas. It is essential to highlight that Jesus, the redeemer of the world, was born into the human family of Mary and Joseph. The incarnation took place within a human family, a family set apart for the glory of God. What a great insight the holy family has given us today: holiness is found embedded in the frail, human family. Within the divinely ordered structure of the family- dad, mom, and children, a human interrelationship, a life ordered to the glory and reflection of God’s familial relationship, is made manifest. This is good news. Merry Christmas!
Responsibility, honour and authority are central values sewn into the fabric of the human family. As Sirach (3: 2-6, 12-14) and Colossians (3:12-17), and Mathew (2:13-15, 19-23) reveal to us in the liturgy of the word, fathers play roles that are different from roles played by mothers, and children have specific responsibilities toward their parents. Each one is assigned to a particular, yet similar role based on the Christian principle of love and respect. With love comes responsibility. Once each member of the family is aware of the responsibilities it owes others, the family is on its way to holiness. We see Joseph take on the responsibility for protecting the family in the Gospel for this Sunday. We also see the honour and authority fathers and mothers have over their children in Sirach and how children are called to obey their parents in Colossians. Responses to these divinely ordered roles make Christian families holy.
God established holiness within the human family, with all its imperfections. The holy family of Jesus, Mary and Jesus is not without its own difficulties. For instance, in the Gospel account according to Matthew (2:13-15, 19-23), we hear of the danger posed to baby Jesus and how his father and mother made difficult decisions to migrate to a foreign land to protect the holy family. Families go through periods of difficulties, be it on account of external, violent threat, failed parenting or marriage, misbehaving or wayward children ( we recently had a couple of bad news stories in the media of children killing their parents). Let it be known that the holy family, too, had its share of hardships, disappointments, and sorrows.
Holiness is not without difficulties. Raising your children and making your home a Christian home does not guarantee freedom from moments of fright and worry. Those stress-filled moments are part of the ingredients that make up the holy family. The problems that arise from raising a Christian family can be turned into opportunities to place our trust in God’s love, protection, and grace and to solidify it. With the example of the Holy Family as a guide, let us make it our goal to structure our family on the principle of faith, love, and responsibility to one another. Let us take our family problems to God in prayer, asking for the intercession of the Holy Family. Let's renew our commitment to family prayer. A family that prays together will live holy.
On this day, nineteen years ago (December 28, 2006), the soul of my beloved father, Lawrence Ajibade Oniwe, departed this world for eternity with the Father; I hope and pray. He was one human being I honoured and still honour. The example of St. Joseph inspired his authority over the family. I will continue to miss him. Please remember him in your prayers.
Merry Christmas to all families of St. Peter. I look forward to a holy New Year with you.
Fr. Alayode Bernard, OP
Merry Christmas! We celebrate the feast of the Holy Family in the Octave of Christmas. It is essential to highlight that Jesus, the redeemer of the world, was born into the human family of Mary and Joseph. The incarnation took place within a human family, a family set apart for the glory of God. What a great insight the holy family has given us today: holiness is found embedded in the frail, human family. Within the divinely ordered structure of the family- dad, mom, and children, a human interrelationship, a life ordered to the glory and reflection of God’s familial relationship, is made manifest. This is good news. Merry Christmas!
Responsibility, honour and authority are central values sewn into the fabric of the human family. As Sirach (3: 2-6, 12-14) and Colossians (3:12-17), and Mathew (2:13-15, 19-23) reveal to us in the liturgy of the word, fathers play roles that are different from roles played by mothers, and children have specific responsibilities toward their parents. Each one is assigned to a particular, yet similar role based on the Christian principle of love and respect. With love comes responsibility. Once each member of the family is aware of the responsibilities it owes others, the family is on its way to holiness. We see Joseph take on the responsibility for protecting the family in the Gospel for this Sunday. We also see the honour and authority fathers and mothers have over their children in Sirach and how children are called to obey their parents in Colossians. Responses to these divinely ordered roles make Christian families holy.
God established holiness within the human family, with all its imperfections. The holy family of Jesus, Mary and Jesus is not without its own difficulties. For instance, in the Gospel account according to Matthew (2:13-15, 19-23), we hear of the danger posed to baby Jesus and how his father and mother made difficult decisions to migrate to a foreign land to protect the holy family. Families go through periods of difficulties, be it on account of external, violent threat, failed parenting or marriage, misbehaving or wayward children ( we recently had a couple of bad news stories in the media of children killing their parents). Let it be known that the holy family, too, had its share of hardships, disappointments, and sorrows.
Holiness is not without difficulties. Raising your children and making your home a Christian home does not guarantee freedom from moments of fright and worry. Those stress-filled moments are part of the ingredients that make up the holy family. The problems that arise from raising a Christian family can be turned into opportunities to place our trust in God’s love, protection, and grace and to solidify it. With the example of the Holy Family as a guide, let us make it our goal to structure our family on the principle of faith, love, and responsibility to one another. Let us take our family problems to God in prayer, asking for the intercession of the Holy Family. Let's renew our commitment to family prayer. A family that prays together will live holy.
On this day, nineteen years ago (December 28, 2006), the soul of my beloved father, Lawrence Ajibade Oniwe, departed this world for eternity with the Father; I hope and pray. He was one human being I honoured and still honour. The example of St. Joseph inspired his authority over the family. I will continue to miss him. Please remember him in your prayers.
Merry Christmas to all families of St. Peter. I look forward to a holy New Year with you.
Fr. Alayode Bernard, OP
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