December 31, 2023
In the gospels, Jesus’ family life is hardly described.
Like all of us family life would have been a big influence in his life.
Because of its importance, the Church has always placed a great value on family.
A new reality now is that family life is very varied: divorced and separated parents, gay parents, widowed parents; while caring for all, the church proposes the family of mother and father where possible as the ideal.
We commit ourselves as a church to solutions of homelessness and poverty in families. We need to be aware of the stresses of family life, to understand them and find funding for caring for them, especially children.
No matter what there are stresses in family life – the sacrament of marriage promises the help of God and the community.
The church encourages family prayer, like visiting the crib with children at Christmas, and making the most of religious occasions in the family. The gospel today is about the life of Jesus growing in humanity and wisdom. He was brought to the temple; Mary and Joseph taught him to pray.
There is a special presence of God in the family: in close love God is present. In all the aspects of family life.
God isn’t very fussy where He lives and moves and has his being – sometimes it’s even in a wonderfully imperfect family!
May the prayers of Mary and Joseph help us in our family life?
Bless us, o Lord, with the joy of love,
and strengthen all families in your loving care.
