You may have noticed that I did not post anything for the Nativity of the Lord (what we Catholics used to call "Christmas"). I did that for two reasons. First is because I typically only focus on the readings for Sunday Masses, and the Nativity of the Lord doesn't fall on a Sunday this year. Second is that I feel I don't really need to say anything about the Nativity of the Lord. The readings, regardless of which Mass you attend, are pretty self explanatory. To lend more column inches to them seems, well, redundant. And while the Nativity of the Lord may be a Holy Day of Obligation, it, like Easter Sunday, is typically well attended by even part time Catholics. Where I see the real challenge is getting those who attend Mass at Christmas to attend Mass the first Sunday after Christmas.
The first Sunday after the Nativity of the Lord is always celebrated as the Christmas Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Since the Christmas season is a celebration of the Nativity, it seems only appropriate that we focus on the family in which Jesus was born. It should be no surprise then that our readings focus on parental and family themes…
The Word for the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 or Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 or Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
Colossians 3:12-21 or Colossians 3:12-17 or Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19
Luke 2:22-40 or Luke 2:22, 39-40
Our readings for this Sunday offer quite a variety of options from which the presider may select, so those of us in the assembly will want to listen carefully. Since most presiders select the first of the options, that is what I will unpack for us here:
Our first reading comes from the Wisdom of Ben Sira, which we also know as the Book of Sirach. This ancient catechism comes from a Jewish sage from Jerusalem at about 175 BCE (and later translated into Greek by his son around 117 BCE). Our passage fittingly comes from the chapter reflecting on our responsibilities to our parents. Our 4th Commandment reminds us to “honor your father and your mother.” This Commandment, along with other requirements under the Mosaic Law code, provides for special consideration for one’s parents. Family was the social and economic engine that drove the ancient world. As it was the parent’s job to care for children, it was understood that come the time, it was the children’s job to care for their parents. This responsibility isn’t lost on Ben Sira’s catechism as he reminds us, in the spirit of the Commandments and the Mosaic Law, of the special treatment and honor owed to one’s parents. Our Psalm reflects the importance of this teaching as we sing, “Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.” In other words, those who follow this important teaching will find favor with God.
Our second reading is from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. This week’s passage has Paul describing how we need to treat one another. In this case, he doesn’t specifically state how children or parents should act toward one another, but how everyone, “God’s chosen ones,” are expected to treat each other, using Christ as the example. If you read the long form of this reading, we come across the passage that reads, “Wives, be subordinate to your husbands.” The short form excludes this part and is most likely the form you will hear at most Masses. The controversy of this language is not without consideration, but it can also derail us from the spirit of the message that is important to this celebration – that we owe it to one another to treat each other as Christ would treat us.
Our Gospel, in a story unique to Luke, gives us a glance at family life shortly after Jesus was born. Being devout Jews, Mary and Joseph take the infant Jesus to the Temple (as prescribed) to present him to the Lord. The short form of this Gospel gives us a very brief view of how the Holy Family followed customs with Jesus growing strong and filled with wisdom. The longer form of this gospel – the one you are most likely to hear at Mass – gives us a much more detailed description of what happened when Jesus was brough to the Temple. They meet two significant people at the Temple. First is Simeon, a righteous man to whom the Holy Spirit promised would see the Christ. Simeon notes how this servant will bring glory to Israel and be a light to the Gentiles, but this prophecy of greatness also comes with a warning of his death. They next encounter Anna, a very old prophetess who gave thanks to God as the redeemer of Jerusalem.
Final Thoughts:
Our Gospel tells of the great joy and great sorrow that will befall this new family. You can imagine the joy they felt at their wise words, as well as their fear of what will eventually happen to Jesus. Our new family is learning that life with Jesus is going to be great joy and great sorrow but will eventually lead to salvation – not just for them, but for everyone! They understood from the start that becoming parents to Jesus would be a life-altering challenge, and now they are starting to learn that how challenging it will be. But like all families with new children, they adapt and continue to raise their son as best they can.
The addition of a child changes the nature of a family. Whether it’s a first child or any subsequent children, the family is forever changed by the addition of this new soul. Everything changes because now there is a whole new person who isn’t just added to the group but is dependent on the group for life itself. Those who have had children understand this. Those who have experienced the addition of a younger sibling understand this to a certain extent. Though the understanding and function of “family” has been evolving rapidly since the end of World War II, it still remains the basic social and economic unit of society. When a family is formed it’s no longer just “me,” but it becomes “us.” So it seems only fitting that we celebrate the Holy Family as a family unit, all three of them offering their special gifts to each other.
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