December 28, 2014 - Sunday

Certainly sons are a gift from the LORD,
the fruit of the womb, a reward. (Psalm 127:3 NABRE)

Daughters too! In some translations, "the fruit of the womb" is translated as "children."*

The importance of family takes center stage today, in our liturgical calendar, as it is the Feast of the Holy Family. Sons. Daughters. Mothers. Fathers. Brothers. Sisters. Together. These are among God's greatest gifts! Each word, by definition, only has meaning as half of a relationship. And it is by these relationships we are so blessed.

The importance of family is easily overlooked. Some of us become casual about family, many times, because family is always just there. Others of us today are embroiled in the public debate about what defines a family and fall victim to either anger or despair. Whether it is due to familiarity, anger or despair, or some other reason, we are vulnerable to forgetting the importance of family.

Yet the importance of family remains. Consider that God, the almighty creator of all things who existed before time itself, chose to reveal himself to us in the context of family. He chose an unlikely pair, Mary and Joseph, an obscure but faith-filled couple as his parents. This family came together not by chance but by plan. And Jesus, our Lord, who gave up the glory of heaven for a time, by his birth as a baby to this couple, did so in order to share in our experience of this life and to regain a lost relationship with us.

So. The family is important. The family reflects God's love for us. Christian families have the wonderful model of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to look to for guidance. Sons and daughters are indeed gifts from the Lord. Children are rewards and daily reminders of the love God has for us.


Today, on this Feast of the Holy Family, I will say thank you, Lord, for my children!


Mary, mother of Jesus, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, foster-father of Jesus, pray for us.