Homily
6th Day in the Octave of Christmas
Solemnity of the Holy Family
30 December 2018
St. Lawrence Catholic Center at the University of Kansas
Survive and advance. That's the key to March Madness. You don't have to win pretty. You just have to win, and live to play another day.
We too often think of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as a icon to put on the shelf and admire. Yet they too had to survive and advance. Just like you and I do. It's really not a terrible motto for living a holy life.
Yes, the Holy Family is an icon, but that doesn't mean that their lives weren't a risky, bloody mess like our families are. An immaculate mother, a fearless father who always finds a way to do the right thing, and the Son of God who cannot be anything but perfectly obedient are good ingredients for a Holy Family. Yet we must remember equally that the Holy Family was non-traditional in many other ways - they were homeless refugees on the run from murderous threats and setting off amber alerts. They also fought - in a holy way! Jesus talks back to his parents who accuse him of disobedience, and this won't be the last time that Jesus outwardly ignores his mother.
What makes a family holy? That's our pivotal question that comes to us each Christmas. Is your family holy?
Most of us laugh at the thought, right? Are you surviving and advancing this Christmas season. I spent 9 hours on the road and 7 hours visiting my family. I got in and got out. I survived and advanced. I saw my three grandparents, my dad and all my siblings, nieces and nephews, alongside various other aunts, uncles and plus ones. It was great to see everyone and to wish everyone well, but my goal was to survive and advance. I didn't want to reveal my mess or ask about theirs - only to pray that everyone finds a way to persevere in knowing, loving and doing God's will.
Most, if not all great human stories, run through the family. If you don't believe me, meditate on today's Feast, and Jesus' story as written in relationship to his family. First, with his mom and dad. Next, through the family that is his Body and Bride, the Church, which He feeds with his won blood. Think about all the great Christmas stories and movies that touch our hearts. They all run, one way or another, through the family. You see, families are the indispensable schools of love, through which every person learns to write their stories. Is it any wonder that of all places that Jesus wants to be born this Christmas, the Church celebrates with Her first Solemnity of Christmas that He wants to be born in our families.
He wants to born in our families as they are, as surely as His own family was marked with tremendous risk and vulnerability at every turn. Woe to us if this feast is celebrated merely as the admiration of the impossible standard that is the icon of the Holy Family. The real good news is that Jesus wants to born in our families as they really are.
The Holy Family didn't get to sing Silent Night, Holy Night, All is Calm all is bright for very long. Many times they just had to survive and advance. That's what can make our families holy as well. Not that they are outwardly perfectly, but that inwardly we still year to know, to love and to do God's will.
Sometimes, we simply need to survive, and advance.
6th Day in the Octave of Christmas
Solemnity of the Holy Family
30 December 2018
St. Lawrence Catholic Center at the University of Kansas
Survive and advance. That's the key to March Madness. You don't have to win pretty. You just have to win, and live to play another day.
We too often think of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as a icon to put on the shelf and admire. Yet they too had to survive and advance. Just like you and I do. It's really not a terrible motto for living a holy life.
Yes, the Holy Family is an icon, but that doesn't mean that their lives weren't a risky, bloody mess like our families are. An immaculate mother, a fearless father who always finds a way to do the right thing, and the Son of God who cannot be anything but perfectly obedient are good ingredients for a Holy Family. Yet we must remember equally that the Holy Family was non-traditional in many other ways - they were homeless refugees on the run from murderous threats and setting off amber alerts. They also fought - in a holy way! Jesus talks back to his parents who accuse him of disobedience, and this won't be the last time that Jesus outwardly ignores his mother.
What makes a family holy? That's our pivotal question that comes to us each Christmas. Is your family holy?
Most of us laugh at the thought, right? Are you surviving and advancing this Christmas season. I spent 9 hours on the road and 7 hours visiting my family. I got in and got out. I survived and advanced. I saw my three grandparents, my dad and all my siblings, nieces and nephews, alongside various other aunts, uncles and plus ones. It was great to see everyone and to wish everyone well, but my goal was to survive and advance. I didn't want to reveal my mess or ask about theirs - only to pray that everyone finds a way to persevere in knowing, loving and doing God's will.
Most, if not all great human stories, run through the family. If you don't believe me, meditate on today's Feast, and Jesus' story as written in relationship to his family. First, with his mom and dad. Next, through the family that is his Body and Bride, the Church, which He feeds with his won blood. Think about all the great Christmas stories and movies that touch our hearts. They all run, one way or another, through the family. You see, families are the indispensable schools of love, through which every person learns to write their stories. Is it any wonder that of all places that Jesus wants to be born this Christmas, the Church celebrates with Her first Solemnity of Christmas that He wants to be born in our families.
He wants to born in our families as they are, as surely as His own family was marked with tremendous risk and vulnerability at every turn. Woe to us if this feast is celebrated merely as the admiration of the impossible standard that is the icon of the Holy Family. The real good news is that Jesus wants to born in our families as they really are.
The Holy Family didn't get to sing Silent Night, Holy Night, All is Calm all is bright for very long. Many times they just had to survive and advance. That's what can make our families holy as well. Not that they are outwardly perfectly, but that inwardly we still year to know, to love and to do God's will.
Sometimes, we simply need to survive, and advance.
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