In the middle of the Christmas season, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. This year the Gospel reading describes a scene familiar to many parents: a pre-teen Jesus goes off by himself and causes his parents to worry. Then when they find him, Jesus sort of talks back, but then is obedient and returns home to Nazareth. How many parents have had issues with their pre-teen/teenager?
This feast is a reminder that all families, even the Holy Family, can have difficulties at times. But those are opportunities for growth and development. The key is dialogue and understanding. The TV show “Young Sheldon” illustrates some of what I’m getting at. Young Sheldon, a genius, says and does things that exasperate his parents and family. Yet, they still love him. They don’t always understand him and occasionally, Sheldon needs to be put in his place. While he doesn’t like it, he is obedient to his parents and grandmother. Even when he is an adult (in the show “The Big Bang Theory”), he is still obedient to his mother even if he rolls his eyes at what she says.
In our own family units, do we love and respect one another to allow for differences of opinion? Are we willing to forgive transgressions? Do we become hard-nosed in our discipline? Today’s feast challenges us to examine how we live as a family. Are we growing closer to God by our interactions or are we tearing one another down? Invite the Holy Family to intercede for your family so you too may grow holier each and every day.
