ECCLESSIASTICUS / SIRACH 3: 2-6, 12-14
PSALM 127: 1-5
COLOSSIANS 3: 12-21
MATTHEW 2: 13-15, 19-23
What are your fondest memories you have of growing up in a family? There may be fond memories of Christmas past, or going on holidays or presents received but underlying all these is knowing that you were loved. For all these things has little value if the love was not there.
And how do children know that they are loved? It is simply when parents take time to spend with their children. It is there that children will find the happiness they long for.
They may seem to enjoy the outings and things bought for them but these things don’t last. They can even still feel very lonely in spite of them.
What their spirit longs for most is loving interaction. It is in the presence of being there with them and for them that matters most. This is what helps them grow in love and what they remember most. That is what we hold most dear in our hearts. And this is true of all relationships.
The feast of the Holy Family reminds us that there is another more important family that we belong to where God is our Father. In telling the story of Jesus’ birth, Matthew is comparing Jesus’ story with that of Moses who freed the people of God from slavery in Egypt.
When Jesus was born, Herod killed the innocent children. So too when Moses was born, were the children of Israel killed. Moses was to lead the people out of Egypt into the Promised Land. Jesus will lead us from the slavery of sin into the heavenly kingdom. In all this we see God present with us with his love. God does not promise the Israelites the greatest of kingdoms and empire nor does he promise us material wealth.
No! God promises us something greater……A relationship with Him that is life giving.
And as Moses led the people to Mount Sinai to enter into a covenant with God,
Jesus now leads us to a relationship with God which will become real through his passion and resurrection. Through Jesus, we are invited to become part of God’s family, his children as never before.
In the Holy Family, we see the intimateness of this relationship. Their story was one of openness to God, trusting in God and following the way of God. They did this simply because they knew God in their hearts.
Today is a time to reflect on our own relationship with God. Do we know the love God has for us? What has been our experience of God in our lives?
If we do not feel God’s love, keep praying to God. There can be no substitute for prayer.
Like all other relationships, spending time with God will draw us closer to Him and open our hearts to His presence.
Merredin Catholic Parish 