Today on the traditional calendar for the Roman Catholic Church is the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. I celebrate this day with great joy because my spiritual life is very much focused on the Holy Family. In a special way, I have consecrated myself to each member of the Holy Family and renew my consecration daily with a more solemn renewal each year. On this day, many priests preach on the family life and looking to the Holy Family as models of our families. The example the Holy Family gives us for our family life is so important. However, there is another aspect of the Holy Family which is important for us; dwelling within the Holy Family ourselves.
When we dwell within the Holy Family, we place ourselves in an oasis of protection, holiness, and peace. When we are tempted or in danger, we flee with the Holy Family as they did to Egypt to escape the attack of Herod. In our struggle for holiness, we turn to the three greatest examples of holiness to ever walk the earth; Jesus the incarnate God, Mary immaculately conceived, and Joseph who the church calls the greatest saint second only to Mary. Finally, we dwell in that peaceful home where Jesus “grew, and waxed strong, full of wisdom” (Luke 2:40) and, in turn, we are able to do the same. As dwellers, or rather children, of the Holy Family, we have a special relationship to each member of that Family. In turn, each member has a unique role in our lives which is so necessary to our lives as believers. First of all, we have Jesus our brother. Jesus is the brother who we can turn to at all times in our life. He is our best friend who never leaves our side. With Jesus, we can share all of our joys, desires, and victories as well as our sorrows, doubts, and struggles. As our brother, He is our best friend who demonstrates perfectly for our sake those words he preached, “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus is the opposite of the wicked brother Cain who took the life of his brother Able for his own good. Instead, Jesus offers up His own life for our good. When we take Jesus for our brother as children of the Holy Family, we can see Him in a new light, a light which is often more personal and intimate. Second, we have Mary our mother. As our mother, we can also go to Mary in so many of our needs. She loves us and wants what is best for us as mothers do. However, Mary has a special role which is so desperately needed in our lives. It was Mary’s womb who formed Jesus, the incarnate God. As a result, we can rely greatly on her to form us more and more into the image of her son. We can allow ourselves to be spiritually carried and born by Mary so we can be more like Christ. St. Louis de Montfort writes in True Devotion to Mary, “We may be formed in our Lord and our Lord formed in us, because her womb is, as the early Fathers call it, the house of the divine secrets where Jesus and all the elect have been conceived. ‘This one and that one were born in her.’” As children of the Holy Family, we acknowledge Mary’s ability to form us in the image of Jesus snd turn to that “house of divine secrets.” Third, we have Joseph our father. I am often frustrated as I see devotion to Joseph as so beneficial to the soul yet so forgotten by many. As our spiritual father, Joseph has so much he can offer to us. One needs only to look at his role in the life of Christ. God the Father trusted Joseph to be the earthly father of Jesus; to protect Him, to teach Him, and to love Him as his own. In the same way, we can trust ourselves to Joseph to do what he did for Christ; to protect, teach, and love as his own. Joseph is also so important because he is completely like us. When we look at Jesus and Mary, we see God incarnate and a woman who was conceived free from stain of original sin. However, Joseph just is like us. He is neither God nor immaculately conceived. However, in the litany of Saint Joseph, the Church resoundingly calls him “Joseph most faithful.” He is a reminder to us that we can be faithful and, as our father, he wants to help us achieve that most high goal. To end, I encourage you to grow in your devotion to the Holy Family. As our brother, mother, and father, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph have a high expectation for us; to become great saints. However, they will not leave us as orphans, struggling through life with no assistance. On the contrary, they will do all in their power to help us achieve this goal. Therefore, let us dwell within the Holy Family as children, trusting ourselves to them so they may guide us on the way to sainthood by offering us their gifts of protection, holiness, and peace. Artwork: "Holy Family" by Lorenzo Costa (1460-1535).
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About MeAn Iowa-raised convert to Catholicism seeking to live my life entirely for Jesus and His Church with all the saints. Archives
August 2021
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