Happy New Year! On this day, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family to honor Our Lord Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph as a family.
In the General Roman Calendar, it is celebrated on the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas, which is the Sunday between Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (on New Year’s Day). When both aforementioned Feasts fall on a Sunday like this year, it is held on the 30th of December. Introduced by Pope Leo XIII in 1893, the feast was made part of our liturgical celebration in order to present the Holy Family of Nazareth as a model for all Christian families. It can be said that such move of Pope Leo XIII to institute the Feast of the Holy Family is visionary and providential. That’s because more than a century later, the family as an institution, particularly the Catholic family, is always at the brink of breakdown and disintegration from the threats of modernity, materialism and immorality in today’s culture and society. It is now, more than any other time, which the Catholic family needs to be guided by the divine inspiration of the Holy Family.
As the New Year draws near, this Feast gives you a timely opportunity to reflect on the Holy Family and how their blessed exemplar relates to your own family. Much like a room that needs tidying up or a silver vase that requires polishing, you must revisit your life and look back at the year that was for your family. Has your relationship with your family sweetened, or soured? Has your love and dedication to them grown, or waned? Have you lived your life as a moral example to them or added to their sin? Knowing the truthful answers to these questions will already tell you where your family is heading in the year to come; and with God’s mercy, help you take action now, change your ways and redirect your family to a holier path.
You can begin by contemplating on the life of the Holy Family and realizing what makes them “holy.” In the Sacred Scriptures, you will find that this family is holy because their profound faith in God, obedience to His will, and love and devotion for one another are ever present in their household. Pause for a bit and think of the moment they became a family- from when Mary had nodded “Yes” and conceived by the Holy Spirit, to the Nativity in Bethlehem, to the their flight to Egypt to escape Herod and their settlement in Nazareth under the care and protection of Joseph. At all times, they are bound by their steadfast love for the Lord that endures all the pain and embraces all the joy of being a family.
When we were little, we were taught in school at all times, that one of the most important values of Filipinos is “close family ties.” Many families here in the Philippines are very, very close, like mine. Filipino parents and their children stay together in one home until they get married. On occasions like New Year’s Eve, it is rare for Filipinos to celebrate it with friends, because almost everybody celebrates it with his family right in their own homes.
But it is not enough that we are “close” with our family members. It is not adequate that we claim that we come from a “good” family just because we celebrate together, or make merriments out loud on New Year’s Eve or even spend with extravagance on other family affairs. What truly defines a “close” and “good” family is finding holiness in day-to-day family life, which is manifested by true and selfless love for one another. It is what God wants us to have in every home.
As ordinary Catholics, here are the things to reflect on about our own families:
For the Parents (Moms and Dads)
At the start of building a family together, from the bliss of getting married, to the delightful first months, to the time of holding your bundle of joy in your arms, the excitement of family life would never seem to finish.
However, when handling the cost of family living strikes, or when other children come along, daily family life can sometimes be boring and tiresome. There are moms out there I know who have always been preoccupied with all the juicy secrets of their amigas or the latest chismis (gossip), but spare no time to know their children and who they really are. I know some dads who go back to their “buhay-binata” or life as a bachelor when they get bored from their family’s daily routine. For these dads, it’s always “Family Last” than “Family First.” They use their time to drink with friends or spend their wealth for their escapades, instead of bonding with their wife and children. These parents justify their actions by saying, “We’re all good, anyway. As a married couple, we look fine and normal. As for the children, we give them their basic needs.”
Just because the family seems “fine” does not mean that your family is. Without the foundation of love and union in prayer to God, your marriage starts to fall apart and your family actually breaks down. When these situations cloud your family, remember that as much as you have the responsibility as parents to give your family’s basic needs and some wants, you also have the responsibility for your children’s spiritual life. God entrusted your children to you to nourish their souls for all of you to get to Heaven someday. Remember that your marriage in the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony is not just for “settling down.” It is your divine calling; your vocation; your response to God’s call of holiness. Thus, fulfillment of God’s will for your family rests on you, from your sacred union to living the ordinary, yet, holy family life.
As St. Paul reminds us in the First Reading in his Epistle to the Colossians 3:12-13, we must have “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another…” This is especially important to all husbands and wives in keeping each other holy and beloved.
For the Children (Kids and Adults)
Your parents might have had flaws. They might never have loved you completely, or provided the life you’ve dreamed of. But God tells us to honor our parents by loving them, respecting them, and taking care of them, especially in their old age. Even your siblings, who are not your direct responsibility, must be shown your love by giving them sound, moral advice that would be good for them. At times, you might need to sacrifice some areas of your personal life, just for your brothers or your sisters, to care for them, especially when your parents are not around.
For some of you, you might not like the family where you come from, and yes, it might have affected you so much. But you can’t put all the blame in your parents alone for all the things that happened in your life. Remember that in God’s divine plan, there is a purpose for letting you be part of such family and if you beg Him through constant prayer, He is there to guide you in discerning good against evil, and have the willful strength to choose good. You are responsible to love yourself, and to take care of yourself in various ways to be worthy of your own family that God will entrust to you someday- a loving husband, a faithful wife, and God-fearing children.
There is no better way of welcoming the New Year and no better time to take inspiration from the Holy Family than today. All you must do is find yourself in prayer and find the holy in all that you do with your family. Going to Church with your Mum, or praying the Rosary with your loved one- these are simple steps in answering God’s call to families for holiness. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph are ever-present to sanctify our families and give all of us the graces we need.
On behalf of www.TheBestCatholic.com, I’m grateful to all our Readers this 2016, in the year of Our Lord! Thank you so much, from our hearts, from my family to yours! I wish you again a blessed and happy New Year!
Mama Mary, pray for us!
Amen.
She graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas, the country's Pontifical and Catholic university, with an AB in Legal Management and minor units in Theology.
As an unmarried woman, prayer holds a central place in her daily life, with a focus on the Rosary and the Divine Office. Embodying her faith, she emphasizes the growth of her inner spiritual life, guided by the wisdom of Carmelite spirituality.
God manifested to her in a unique and radical manner, which made her know Who He truly is and led her to total surrender of her life to Him.
She has studied the Bible with her family, developing a particular fondness for the Old Testament.
Her adorable and intelligent toy poodle is a delightful companion in her daily life, bringing warmth and joy to her home.
Her hobbies include reading about everything, learning Japanese and German, listening to music and playing the flute.
In her leisure time, she enjoys gaming on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and OS, and collecting things related to PlayStation and Nintendo.
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