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Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
For many people, this feast day is used to reflect on their own family. And that is a good thing, for today there are more varieties of “family” than ever before in recorded history. A family is a group of people who say they are family. Sometimes they are related by blood, and other times they are related solely by love. It is not uncommon, for example, for members of Catholic religious orders to say that the members of their order are their family.
Families are designed to be groups where a person can grow and flourish, where dreams and hopes are nurtured, where triumphs are celebrated, and where struggles are shared.
As you know, though, many families do not live up to their noble calling. They became the opposite of loving and nurturing places, and as a result, they become places from which to flee.
On this feast of the Holy Family, it would be a good idea to reflect on your own families. How are they doing? Are they places of love, joy, laughter, and support? Or do they need some serious work?
The above photo shows a family in the pueblo of Curarén during their annual celebration of the pueblo’s church, Our Lady of Candelaria. Candelaria is the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple as an infant. To read more of the story, see Luke 2: 22-40.
