Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Jerome,
Pax Christi semper vobiscum!
It is our Catholic tradition to commemorate the Solemnity of the Holy Family of Nazareth on Sunday after Christmas. The Gospel tells us of the fidelity of Mary and Joseph to the Mosaic Law that made Jesus truly subject to all aspects of human life. They shared a common belief. They professed the faith from the tradition of their Hebrew ancestors that allowed them to encounter God in the ordinariness of their lives. The Law of Moses ushered them to an awareness that God must be the priority of their lives and deeply involved in all the details of their daily human interactions. Were their religious practices enough to make them holy? Or was it their response to God’s revelation that made God’s strong relationship with them flourish?
We know for a fact that there is always an energy that guides every family in a direction that each member follows. Every institution requires a leader that inspires and organizes each member towards the fulfillment of a certain goal. We know that the family is the basic unit of our society. Our strength and power as a people depend on the values that we share as a small unit of individuals, our family, which aim at the achievement of a certain aspiration that may benefit our communities. It is important that our families have clarity of vision and mission that guide each member to the finality of their goal. How many among our families contemplate on the Christian values that they ought to exemplify as responsible family members?
When I was growing up in the Philippines, I do not remember talking about these goals and exemplification of values in a formal way. However, I remember that the school of our family values was founded at our kitchen table. Family meals taught us to live like family. It was at that same table that we heard the exhortations and wisdom of our parents. It was during our meals together that our misbehavior was rectified. It was at that same kitchen table that our relationship as a family was ratified. It was during our meals together that we learned our family identity and the meaning of reverence for God and of respect and love for our neighbor. We were challenged by our parents to make a conscious decision on what we would like to be in the future. On the other hand, there were also difficulties that hit our family when we were growing up. The death of my youngest brother when I was six marked an experience of deep loss in our family. The economic struggles that our parents encountered when my father’s inheritance was unjustly taken by another family member put us in an exceedingly difficult impoverished situation. There were other situations that challenged our family life; and as I go back to recall them all, I realize that we were able to survive because our parents were focused on giving us the best that they could by relying on the help of God.
I am sharing these thoughts because I am certain that the family of Joseph was never different from our families today. They, too, were challenged. I bet that Jesus got sick also and Mary must have been worried to find the best medicine to bring His fever down. I imagine that Jesus must have been climbing on tabletops and chairs and being mischievous as a normal toddler. Mary could have been a sprint star running after Him also. I am certain that Joseph must have been challenged to find a patron who would give him the next carpentry job while Mary might have been thinking where to get their meal for the next day. Good thing they did not have to pay health insurance, mortgage, car insurance, cable and internet, school tuition, etc. But I can imagine them talking about their future and the direction that they wanted to raise Jesus. What about death in the family? Tradition says that Joseph died at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. So, there must be some worries about Mary’s board and lodging. Speaking of grief, what about the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus?
Yes, the family of Nazareth knew our experiences also. That is why, their life is so inspiring–it gives us an assurance of accompaniment while we continue to struggle each day to make our lives better. What makes them different is their ability to be always conscious of their top priorities: foremost, their devotion and love of God. They did not compartmentalize their spiritual devotions and practices. They invited God to be involved in every aspect of their lives. For them, being in the synagogue or in the temple while worshiping God was the same as being in God’s presence while one is washing dishes or doing carpentry work. This is then the challenge for us today. The family of Nazareth is our point of reference where family values can be imitated and lived. The key to holiness is awareness. Our values mature as we repetitively live them day by day. Let us ask the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to inspire us always to become imitators of their holiness.
Sincerely in Christ and Mary,
P.S. Bishop Bartosic made an announcement a week ago regarding the future of our parish groupings under the Renew My Church program. The entire segment of the announcement is available online through the link that is posted on our website and Facebook page. I thank you for your prayers during the last few months for the parish discernment teams that were involved during the tedious process. Our next goal is to continue our discernment towards the fulfillment of our parish mission through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I will say more on this topic in the next bulletin.