Sunday, December 27, 2009 Feast of the Holy Family
1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28; Psalm 84; 1 John 3: 1-2, 21-24; Luke 2: 41-52
A shadow of the cross falls across this Christmas feast. Mary belonged to two different families, the one with Joseph and Jesus, celebrated today; the one celebrated in Eucharist every day, when Jesus, lifted up, “gathers into one new family all the scattered children of God (Jn 11: 52). We are the new family and Mary is our mother. John’s letter reminds us we are already children of God and what we will become has yet to be revealed. The gospel piece is probably a tradition of Jesus’ becoming a Bar Mitzvah, a “son of the commandment.” That commandment is according to John is that believing which means trust, and loving.
If we are already God’s children, what more could we want? What do you want? Share that with God or Jesus or Mary. Of what commandment are you a son or daughter? How is your loving in family, community, parish? How loving is your outreach to the poor and/or despised?
May we come to share the divinity of him who emptied himself to share our humanity. God, our father and mother, embed us more deeply in Jesus’ new family.