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Feast of the Holy Family, Year B – 2023-2024

Today’s celebration is familiar to us, Christians.
When the expression ‘Holy Family’ is pronounced, a picture comes immediately to our minds –that of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

But when the single word ‘family’ is spoken, it evokes pictures of all kinds. Nowadays, this singular word is often used with other words bringing to mind different meanings…
What used to be known as the ‘nuclear’ family has gone through changes…
We hear of ‘broken families’, of ‘blended families’, of ‘single parent families’…

The question arises: ‘What really makes up a family?’
Different people will give you answers that vary.

Perhaps, one definition that could be acceptable to all is this one:
A family is made up of people who are together for one another’.

Another question follows: ‘What really makes up a HOLY FAMILY?’
Before giving an answer, many will pause and wonder…
Wonder and ask themselves if every family can be a HOLY FAMILY…

It is good to remind ourselves that holiness is not something of our own making.
Holiness is not something that we achieve by ourselves.
Holiness is God making us ever more like himself.

We have learnt that, at creation, God made us in his own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27).
But through the years, we may have spoiled his image, damaged our likeness to him.

God never gives up on us, he continues his work bringing us to holiness from day to day.
He is ready to do this in our families, of whatever definition, if we only welcome him ‘home’…

Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French, at: https://image-i-nations.com/fete-de-la-sainte-famille-annee-b-2023-2024/

 

Source: Images: www.Pinterest.com/pin     unsplash.com  (Alberto Casseta, Tyler Nix)

 

 

 

1st Sunday of Advent, Year C

Of all the prophets we are familiar with, Jeremiah may not stand out as a prophet of… joy!
He is well-known for his Lamentations!

Yet on this 1st Sunday of Advent his message is a reassuring one (Jer.33:14-16).
He tells us who our God is as he speaks of him as:

“The Lord-our-integrity”.
 
Is it not encouraging to know that the integrity we strive for is ours… in the Lord?
The perfection we make efforts to achieve is… a given!
The holiness we are told we should aim at is offered to us –
it is being fashioned in us by God himself!

Of course, we must strive, and make efforts, and do our best,
but all of this in order to welcome God-our-integrity.
This is the true meaning of Advent!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/1er-dimanche-de-lavent-annee-c

Source: Image: Chabad.org