Homily
for Sunday 29th December 2019. Read Sirach 3:3-7,12-17; Psalm 127; Colossians
3:12-21 and Matthew 2:13-15,19-23.
_“And he rose and took the child and
his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death
of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out
of Egypt have I called my son.” *(Matthew 2:14-15).*_
Today we
are celebrating the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Today, we
celebrate the fact that God took flesh and lived within the family setting
thereby sanctifying the family as the best place for human growth and development.
In today’s Gospel passage, Joseph, acting on information received in a dream
woke Mary at night and in obedience, she picked up the baby and a few of their belongings
and they fled to Egypt. This incidence proves that there is no such thing as a
perfect family; there is no family without its own challenges and difficulties.
So the
question is: How do we make our families like that of Jesus, Mary and Joseph regardless
of our challenges? In other words, what are the secrets of the Holy Family
*1. Respect
for Parents.*
Once
children lose respect for their parents and they stop obeying them, those children
attract curses unto themselves. “Whoever forsakes his father is like
a blasphemer, and whoever angers his mother is cursed by the Lord.” (Sirach
3:16. Also, read Proverbs 30:17) Indeed, if we are cursed, our families can
never be holy. On the other hand, when we honour (respect and obey) our parents
and make them happy, there are several blessings we receive.
_a. Forgiveness
of Sins:_ “Whoever honours his father atones for sins.” (Sirach 3:3) “For
kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and against your sins, it will be
credited to you… as frost in fair weather, your sins will melt away.” (Sirach
3:14-15)
_b. Riches
and Prosperity in Life:_ “Whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up
treasure. (Sirach 3:4)
_c. Fruit
of the Womb:_ “Whoever honours his father will be gladdened by his own children.
(Sirach 3:5)
_d. Answers
to Prayers:_ “When he prays he will be heard. (Sirach 3:5)
_e. Long Life:_
“Whoever glorifies his father will have long life.” (Sirach 3:6)
I wonder
how on earth some children could turn against their own parents, how children
would keep malice with their parents, how children would afford to even raise their
hands on their parents or accuse them of witchcraft like in a viral video I once
saw where some children disgraced their own mother in public because their
pastor told them she was responsible for all their problems. Those children, by
their action, have attracted curses to themselves, curses which the pastor will
not be able to deliver them unless they return their mother and beg for her
forgiveness.
*2. Cherish
Parents When they are old.*
This
respect and honour for our parents is even more demanded when they are old. Old
age ordinarily is a blessing, we all pray to live old. But how we enjoy old age
depends on our children, if they abandon us, old age becomes a burden because, at
old age, we return to being dependent on others like little babies. Don’t grieve
your parents when they are old. Forgive whatever wrong they may have done to
you in the past. As Sirach says: “O son, help your father in his old age, and
do not grieve him as long as he lives; even if he is lacking in understanding,
show forbearance; in all your strength do not despise him.” (Sirach 3:12-13)
*3. Fear
of God.*
Another
great point we must keep in mind to make our families holy is the fear of God. Our
responsorial psalm today sings: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord and Walk
in his ways.” When you fear God, this is what will happen in your family: “You
shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands; you shall be happy, and it
shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your
house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.” (Psalm
128:2-3). Don’t be deceived by men of God who tell you your family is cursed by
your village ancestors and all that funny stories, ask yourself: “Do I fear
God?” Could this be the reason my family is not doing well?
*3. Forgive
One Another.*
Without forgiveness,
there cannot be a holy family. Recall how Jesus stayed behind in the temple at
age twelve causing Mary and Joseph so much grief and extra stress in making the
two-day journey to search for him? It is true that the Bible says “Do not
withhold discipline from a child; if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.”
(Proverbs 23:13) It is also true that sometimes forgiveness works more magic
than the rod.
When you
apply the rod all the time, the child develops a hardened heart, he thinks you
hate him/her and begins to seek love outside the home. You become an enemy.
This is the point St. Paul makes when he concludes our second reading saying: “Fathers,
do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” (Colossians 3:21).
Some children have low self-esteem problems because of the constant barrage of
insults they receive from their parents, they have stopped believing in
themselves and they feel they cannot amount to anything good. Some children find
it difficult to confide in their parents or confess their sins to their parents
only to end up getting advice from the wrong places.
Forgiveness
also applies to husbands and wives. It is not possible that husband and wife
will not offend each other. The love that ignites marital vows is different from
the love that sustains marriage. If your love is to last, you must forgive one
another repeatedly; seventy-seven times seven times. You must die to the past
every minute and continue to trust your partner even if you have no reason to.
Let Jesus be your role model of forgiveness as St. Paul says: “Forbearing one
another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as
the Lord has forgiven you.” (Colossians 3:13)
*4. Prayer
and Responsibility.*
Between
Joseph and Mary, who was the prayer warrior? Let me leave you to debate on
that. If you say Mary was the prayer warrior, I wonder why it was to Joseph
that the angel appeared to warn him about the child’s safety. Men who neglect
prayers in the name of it’s a woman’s duty are very bad fathers. As a man, you
should be the one seeing visions and dreaming big for your family. Every man is
the Joseph of the house. You command you provide, you protect and to do this,
you must be deeply connected to God. Twice Joseph dreamt and received vital
instructions. If he wasn’t prayerful, he would have failed in his responsibilities.
It is one
thing for wives to be subject to their husbands but subjection without responsibility
is slavery. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church, by sacrificing
himself for the church. (Ephesians 5:25) A man who does not love his wife (who
is not responsible) does not deserve her submissiveness. Note that within the
same paragraph that St. Paul said wives must be subject that he said Husbands
must love their wives and not be harsh with them. (Colossians 3:19). Husbands
do not use bad language on your wives and wives please respect your husbands
even if you want to correct them, still do it with respect.
*Conclusion:*
Achieving a
Holy Family is not a matter of luck, it is hard work. Everyone has a role to
play. A family that prays together stays together. Pray as if everything depends
on God but Work as if everything depends on you. Being an unfaithful spouse is
not enjoyment, it is a curse. You will never be happy. No one is beyond the
redemption of love. Is your spouse your headache? Start loving him or her like
Christ loved us and you will be shocked at the transformation you will see.
Let us
pray: Lord Jesus Christ, sanctify our families, repair broken homes, bring us joy
and peace, heal our wounds and help us to love one another as you have loved
us. Amen
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Feast of the Holy Family. Year A. Bible
Study: Sirach 3:3-7,12-17; Psalm 127; Colossians 3:12-21 and Matthew 2:13-15,19-23).
