In today’s Gospel, Luke gives us a rare glimpse of life in the Holy Family: Mary and Joseph in Jerusalem, searching for Jesus “with great anxiety,” before at last finding him in the Temple, his Father’s house. Though his parents do not yet fully grasp their son’s divine mission, Jesus nevertheless loves them deeply and is obedient to them. The model of the Holy Family accords with the book of Sirach, which tells us that fathers and mothers have authority over their children, who should respect and care for them even into old age. 

The many blessings earned by these devoted children echo the promise given in the book of Exodus: “…that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you” (Ex. 20:21, RSV). And yet, authority and obedience are not the only hallmarks of a family. 

In our second reading from Colossians, St. Paul enumerates an entire list of virtues that the Colossians are “to put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.” Everyone—husband, wife, children—is to grow in compassion, kindness, humility, patience, and forgiveness— “and over all these put on love.” Many of us have been fortunate to grow up in families where these virtues were consistently modeled, where we loved and received love in return. But in this broken world, there are also many for whom the love of family has only ever been conditional, where anger and chaos have reigned instead of peace and understanding. 

It is from our families that we receive our first lessons in love and also some of our deepest wounds. But there is still room to be adopted into the Holy Family, to stand at St. Joseph’s workbench alongside Jesus and to be cradled in Mary’s lap. Jesus tells us that to enter the kingdom of hheaven, we must become like little children. And where our first parents failed (no matter how exemplary and loving), we can still rest secure in the love of God, our Father; Mary, our Mother; and Christ, our brother—safe in the Holy Family.

Parishioner Kathryn Wilmotte