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Mass Readings
Feast of the Holy Family
Reading 1 – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Or 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
Psalm – Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Or Psalm 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10
Reading 2 – Colossians 3:12-21
Or Colossians 3:12-17
Or 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
Gospel – Luke 2:41-52
Merry Christmas on this Feast of the Holy Family!
Today we pause to celebrate family life as inspired by the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Many times we hear about young families or perhaps the great challenges to married life. But after reading an excellent reflection in the Word Among Us, today I’d like to share with you another image of family life.
“Take care of your father when he is old,” (Sirach 3:12). That is what we hear in one of the options for today’s first reading taken from Sirach. In today’s language we call that helping with activities of daily living. There are various estimates of the numbers of people caring for elderly, ill or disabled family members or friends in the United States. According to AARP, there are approximately 43.5 million people or approximately 20% of the population providing unpaid care to someone.1 People in this situation really experience what selfless love is all about. In Sirach we learn that all sorts of blessings come from caring for elderly family members including: forgiveness of sins, spiritual treasures, joy, answered prayers and even long life.
Hearing that doesn’t make it any easier. Words cannot describe what families go through to care of someone who needs help. The physical labor alone can be overwhelming. There are also financial challenges. And of course there is the emotional toll – the sense of helplessness and frustration as you watch your loved one struggle or as you standby as dementia slowly takes someone you love. There are times when you want to scream to heaven, “Why is this happening?”
Sirach reminds us that time spent caring for someone, especially someone who is dying, can lead to many blessings. For people living through this phase of life, that’s probably farthest from our minds. But having witnessed my father-in-law’s decline and death a little over a year ago, I can tell you that what we learn from Sirach is true. This is the time to say goodbye. This is the time to tell them how much you love them, even if they aren’t in a state of mind to respond. This is the time to ask for and to receive forgiveness, to make amends and to set things right. I saw family members pull tighter together as everyone pitched in to care for him. I saw firsthand healing and love take place. And when at last the time came, I saw peace descend on the family – peace at knowing that his suffering was over. I’m sure many of you can share stories about the people you love.
Sirach tells us that caring for family members leads to forgiveness of sins, spiritual treasures, joy, answered prayers and even long life. Whether we want to think about it or not, we can find some of the blessings described in Sirach in our family stories. Sometimes they come years later. I suggest to you that many families live the image of the Holy Family. Mary and Joseph cared for the baby Jesus – a baby who needed someone else to feed him, to clean him, to clothe him and to protect him. Mary even got to hold the body of her dead son when they removed his body from the cross. In our families, we walk together from birth through life and eventually to the grave. It’s not always easy and frankly it’s not always fun. But we face the challenges of life out of the love we have for one another.
May the Holy Family inspire each of our families to selflessly walk together come what may. Homework:
- How can you help? Do you know someone caring for someone who cannot take care of themselves? Respite comes in many forms – even an occasional meal or an errand can be a huge help to families.
- Why wait? Why wait for the dementia or a terminal illness? Now as our year draws to a close and inspired by Christmas joy, now is the time to reach out to the people in your life and begin making amends, asking for forgiveness and telling your family members how much you love them.
I wish you a blessed and happy new year! May each of us come to know the grace and peace of Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Notes:
- National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S.
