The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
31st December 2023 (Sunday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Proper
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look towards heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.
Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (R. 7a, 8a)
R/. He, the Lord, is our God; he remembers his covenant forever.
Second Reading: Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19
Beloved: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. At many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Luke 2:22-40
When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marvelled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favour of God was upon him.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Highlight: Christ grows in family!
Guidlines: The holy family is model for every faithful family. A family that resembles the holy family will be the abode of joy and peace{alertSuccess}
1. The immediate Sunday after the holy Christmas is the Holy Family Sunday. Is it a clear indication that the Saviour who is born on earth, must be born in every family, and must be nurtured and taken care by every family?
2. Christ must grow day after day in every family. Christ must “live” in every family, and those greatest Christmas gifts of hope, light and joy must continue to “incarnate” in every family. Every family takes the place of the holy family, and every family can be a holy family, in so far as it embodies the same values and disseminates the same ambience.
3. Our reflection on Holy Family is simple and focused: what does the Holy Family teach the families of today? First of all, how lovely it is to think that the Holy Family perfectly represents the holistic nature of God: paternity, maternity and fraternity.
4. Yes, God is fatherly, motherly, and brotherly, each represented by Joseph, Mary and Jesus. The love between the Father and the Spirit “generates” and “nurtures” the Son, and so also the holy love between Joseph and Mary “regenerates” and “fosters” the son Jesus.
5. Thus, the Holy Family resembles this divine nature, and represents the divine face. Accordingly, in Joseph, we see the fatherly care, guardianship and owning up responsibility for the family, for Mary and Jesus. In Mary, we see the motherly tenderness, affection, and sense of support and standing together with the husband and son. In Jesus, we see the fraternal and filial devotion, openness, trust, belongingness and loving submission.
6. Perhaps the greatest tragedy of many a family of today is, the “loss of this divine and human face”, the loss of love with God, and loss of love with the others in the family. When a family loses this “divine touch” and “human reach”, then there is no beauty, joy and peace. In our times, the life of many families is a story of tension, dissatisfaction and unhappiness, because of the continuous replay of irresponsibility and strife.
7. Why a family becomes a place to avoid or escape from, instead of a refuge to turn to? Why a family becomes a misery, instead of a beauty? Why family life becomes a burden, instead of a lightening experience? It is not enough to glorify the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. But it is more important to verify and rectify the quality of each family in the light of the Holy Family.
8. A husband’s duty is not over, by just earning some money, and ensuring the material wellbeing. A wife’s duty is not over, by just managing the house chores or partnering in the financial concerns. What matters most is, how much they are loving companion and partners, in mutual love, respect, care and forbearance?
9. It is not a wonder that in spite of all increase in education and progress, the bonding between husband and wife is very much “thinning”, with no real vibrations of communication and communion.
10. A parent’s duty is not just over, by giving the children some money, a good dress, a good education, a good job and a comfortable life. Much more than that, how many parents give their children sane values of life, give God, faith and kindness?
11. How many parents teach and make their children to be good human beings? Those parents who are responsible for their children to become irresponsible, without devotion and morals, are the biggest “failed parents”.
12. A son’s or daughter’s duty is not over, by just getting well-educated and well-settled in life. How sad it is that a good number of children turn so ungrateful, disrespectful and even harmful towards their parents!
13. A son or daughter who becomes the cause of sorrow of the parents, is a disgrace before God, even if is rated high before the world. Such children are a great “misery” and “failure”, even if they ride on glory and success.
14. An “about-turn” is then the need of the day: Turn to God, and turn to each other. Return to God’s heart, with faith; Return into each other’s heart, with love! See your partner’s face and heart. See your children’s face and heart. See your parents’ face and heart. Do it daily. Then surely, your face and heart, and the whole face of life and family, will change!
Practice: Nurture within you and foster around you a little more spirit of family and be faithful to the family values. Then you will really see that Christ will be surely born there!{alertSuccess}