Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
(Ecclesiasticus 3:3-7.14-17; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew
2:13-15.19-23)
Families are vital for the flourishing of people. For this reason they have been termed the
basic unit of society. Perhaps also
because of their importance, the term “family” has been extended to include
other kinds of arrangements. Parishes often
label themselves as “family.” A number
of years ago a prominent politician called the Democratic Party a “family.” Despite the importance of families, the nuclear
family – mother, father, and children – is struggling to maintain itself today.
The Holy Family – Jesus, Mary, and Joseph – present an ideal
for nuclear families today to emulate.
Like Joseph, the father must take responsibility for the welfare of
all. In the gospel Joseph listens to the
Lord’s directive and acts on it. Mary
may be docile, but she is also wise. She
will follow her husband’s lead, but will no doubt tell him if he heads in the
wrong direction. Wives and mothers are
almost always the heart of the modern family.
They support everyone, make needed sacrifices, and are ready to take
over leadership if required.
A delicate question today is how to consider alternative families. If the homosexual couple adopts or uses
artificial methods to produce a child, how should the resultant family be
considered? Derivative families have
always existed. They are not ideal, but
they can accomplish the goal of raising children to be responsible, caring
members of society.
