It’s 2013, the Christmas decorations in our home are put away, our gifts are put into our personal closets, the mail isn’t full of Christmas cards anymore and tomorrow (January 2) I head back into the office.  Although our culture tells us that Christmas is over – it is not.  We are still in the 12 Days of Christmas until the Epiphany which we celebrate on January 6.  So I wanted to take a moment and offer my personal reflection on the Holy Family.

Sacrifice
As I listened to the readings throughout the Christmas Masses I thought about the sacrifices both Mary and Joseph had to endure.  I would venture to guess that both Mary and Joseph had big plans before the Angel Gabriel visited.  Maybe they wanted a big family, maybe a big house, maybe four donkeys or maybe Joseph wanted to open a carpentry business.  Heck, maybe they both planned on not being celibate. But they both accepted the situation they were given and committed themselves  to Jesus, God and their faith.  Together, Mary and Joseph put all their desires aside, answered God’s call and raised Jesus.  Their sacrifices (albeit a true blessing) is remarkable and a true example.

Can I be as Strong as Joseph?
In my office I have a little statue of St. Joseph.  I got this several years ago when a priest encouraged me to learn more about Joseph and his role in the Holy Family.  Joseph was a skilled craftsman who worked hard for his family while also making sure they were safe and protected.

At this past Sunday Mass our priest gave a powerful homily that covered many topics including the role of the father in the family.  The father is to be a pillar of the family and a mentor to the children.  All the stories I read that involve Joseph clearly describe him as a leader and a teacher.  He always seemed to have put Mary and Jesus first above anything else he wanted.  He may not be as popular as Mary or Jesus but I believe he is truly proud of the role he played in the family.  I’m sure it’s not easy raising the son of God but I believe Joseph was man enough to handle such a task.

Mothers are Amazing
When my kids get hurt nobody can care for them better than my wife, Sarah.  I try my bestto cuddle them but the moment Sarah enters the room our child will reach for her and suddenly the crying stops and our child feels better.  Mothers are beautiful and amazing.  It’s no wonder our Catholic faith honorsMary as she is truly an amazing women whose role was to raise and nurture her Child.  Just like any son should, Jesus listened to his Mother Mary and did what she asked.  Then, as Jesus got older Jesus took special care of Mary and ensured that she was taken care of after His death.

I Can Learn A Lot From My Kids
My kids are still young but I learn a lot from them.  They teach me that it is fun to laugh out loud at the silliest things.  They teach me that something so small can mean so much.  They teach me that a hug and a kiss is the best.  They teach me how to treat other people kindly.  My kids ask me many questions throughout the day and they are very inquisitive but I too can learn from them.  I believe the Holy Family did this quite well.  Mary and Joseph had to teach Jesus all the tangibles such as tying his sandals, making his bed, carpentry and maybe “why the sky is blue”.  But Mary and Joseph were not arrogant enough to think they always knew more than Jesus and Jesus wasn’t arrogant enough to think he could do it all on his own.
~Merry Christmas to your and your family