23-Dec-2010 Dear Friend,
Christmas is basically a family feast, and we recall that God came into this world through the Holy Family of Nazareth and He chose to dwell in our midst and be at home with us. We are challenged to discover God who is very near to us and has made himself incarnate in our midst. But we need eyes of faith to see him and hearts full of love to recognize him and welcome him into our hearts. Have a homely weekend finding God at home! Fr. Jude Sunday Reflections: 'Feast of the Holy Family –Building the bonds of a Holy Family!' 26-Dec-2010 Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 Colossians 3: 12-21 Matthew 2: 13-15, 19-23 The first reading from the Book of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) is a commentary on the fourth commandment: ‘Honour your father and your mother.’ Jesus himself had considered the fourth commandment as of God: he honoured his father and mother. Yet he did not know a ‘long life’ here on earth. We often think of the fourth commandment solely in terms of the obligation of younger children to obey their parents. That is part of it. But there is another essential part of it: the obligation of grown children to ensure that their aged parents are able to live out their final years in comfort and dignity. The author of this book asserts that kindness to parents is especially pleasing to God, who accepts it as atonement for one’s sins. He Lived Among Us In an audience Pope Paul VI told how one day, when he was Archbishop of Milan, he went out on parish visitation. During the course of the visitation, he found an old woman living on her own. ‘How are you?’ he asked her. ‘Not bad,’ she answered. ‘I have enough food, and I’m not suffering from the cold.’ ‘You must be reasonably happy then?’ he said. ‘No, I’m not’, she said as she started to cry. ‘You see, my son and daughter-in-law never come to see me. “I am dying of loneliness.’ Afterwards he was haunted by the phrase ‘I’m dying of loneliness.’ And the Pope concluded: ‘Food and warmth are not enough in themselves. People need something more. They need our presence, our time, our love. They need to be touched, to be reassured that they are not forgotten.’ Flor McCarthy in ‘New Sunday and Holyday Liturgies’ While the first reading dealt with the obligation of grown children to look after their aged parents, the Gospel exemplifies the primary obligation of parents, which is to love and care for their children. Here we see what Mary and Joseph did for their infant son when his life was threatened by danger. They uprooted themselves and became exiles. They gave up all the conveniences of home and neighbours and friends and became refugees and homeless people till the danger had passed. Only then did they return to their native land. Joseph did not think of himself and his needs but gave first priority to the needs of his son and wife. He followed God’s will in every circumstance of his life, especially in difficult times. The Holy Family didn’t have it easy but because of their deep faith in God and love for one another, they were able to sustain one another, stay together and come through it. After they returned to Nazareth, after the death of Herod, they lived a quiet ordinary life till Jesus was thirty years of age. There he grew in age, wisdom and grace. Most people are called to live a simple ordinary life and through the daily humdrum routine of daily existence, find God, make life meaningful for themselves in the confines of the home. Sanctity consists in finding God in the midst of our homes, and in making our families happy homes, nurturing one another through the ups and downs of life. God’s Living Word “Christmas and family are intimately linked. Christ came as a member of human family to enable us to be part of God’s family. So the first Sunday after Christmas is Family Sunday. It is not a day for preaching about family, but a day for giving thanks for family, for depending appreciation of what security and lifelong fidelity bring to all our lives, for praising God for the wonder that limited human beings such as ourselves are capable of such commitment in peace and joy. Family must surely be an ever-present miracle, a precious gift of a loving and caring Creator. It must never be taken for granted. Like all precious living things it must be protected and nurtured. It cannot be explained or its value proven. It must be experienced to be appreciated. To convince the young that family is worth committing oneself to, they must meet living witnesses of the sustenance and nurturance that it can bring rather than hear preachers talk about its importance for society. May Jesus and the other members of his family, Mary and Joseph, continue the miracle of love in all our families.” Tom Clancy in ‘Living the Word’ Film: It’s a Wonderful Life George Bailey grows up in a warm family atmosphere in Bedford Falls. His father is a kindly unsuccessful manager of a building and loan company who extends credit to his customers. George dreams of leaving Bradford Hills to build modern cities, airfields and change the world. He falls in love with Mary. When his father dies he has a chance to leave, but he decides to stay because he believes he can influence the harsh Mr. Potter, who has taken over the Bailey firm, to treat customers kindly like his father. Mary and George get married. Over the years, George builds up goodwill among the towns people and creates a housing estate for them. But he never leaves town to follow his dream. Time passes, his family grows but he feels trapped. When a large deposit is missing from the business, George has no money to cover the losses. George is in despair and is harsh to Mary and the children. He contemplates killing himself for the insurance money. Clarence, an angel is sent to help him see the real meaning and value of his life. Clarence shows him what Bedford Falls would be like had he not lived: a town of squalor and corruption. Coming to his senses, George runs home to Mary and his family to celebrate Christmas. The climax of It’s a Wonderful Life comes at Christmas –for George Bailey and his family, a time of crisis. The present and future are threatened if George kills himself, George was and is a man of blessing for the people of Bedford Hills. It takes God’s special intervention for George to look at his life and accept it, and see the wonder of it. It is in the spirit of that first Christmas that the angel Clarence gently persuades George that his life has meaning as he takes him on a journey to the past and future. –Angels are among us in many ways if we but listen and look for signs of goodness around us: the people we meet, the books we read, the songs we hear, the stories we see on television or in movies and in our homes. Can we see with eyes of faith that It’s a Wonderful Life? Peter Malone in ‘Lights Camera…. Faith! Why Christmas? One family gathered to celebrate the holiday without much thought to its significance. Little Charlotte, gulping her milk, heaved a white-mustached sigh. Then she pointed her fork toward her grandfather like a microphone and asked, “Grandpa, why is today called Christmas?” The child’s question came like a peal of thunder. “Out of the blue it fell crashing into the dining room just as though, indeed, the roof might be collapsing.” Did the little girl have any idea what she was asking? After what seemed like an eternity her grandfather said, “Perhaps your mother could give you a better answer than I could.” It had been a trying day for Rita, her mother. It was the first time she was able to sit with her father in many years. She answered her daughter: “Today is called Christmas, Charlotte, because it is the birthday of Jesus Christ.” She then gave a brief explanation. Grandpa looked in disbelief at his daughter….She spoke almost as though she had just discovered the origins of Christmas herself as if that very moment such knowledge had been revealed to her. Gerard Fuller in ‘Stories for all Seasons’ ‘I Never Hugged My Dad’! In his book My Father, My Son, Dr Lee Salk describes a moving interview with Mark Chapman, the convicted slayer of Beatle John Lennon. At one point in the interview, Chapman says: I don’t think I ever hugged my father. He never told me he loved me…I needed emotional love and support. I never got that.” Chapman’s description of how he would treat a son if he had one is especially tragic, because he will probably never get out of prison and have a family of his own. He says: “I would hug my son and kiss him…and just let him know…he could trust me and come to me…and (I would) tell him that I loved him.” Dr Salk ends his book with this advice to fathers and sons. It applies equally well to mothers and daughters. “Don’t be afraid of your emotions, of telling your father or your son that you love him and that you care. Don’t be afraid to hug and kiss him. “Don’t wait until the death bed to realize what you’ve missed.’ Mark Link in ‘Sunday Homilies’ Walking in His Footsteps It was a busy day in Costa Mesa, a Californian home. But then, with ten children and one on the way, every day was a bit hectic for Davida Dalton. On this particular day, however, she was having trouble doing even the routine chores – all because of one little boy. Len, who was there at that time, was on her heels no matter where she went. Whenever she stopped to do something and turned back around, she would trip over him. Several times, she patiently suggested fun activities to keep him occupied. “Wouldn’t you like to play on the swing set?” she asked him. But he simply smiled an innocent smile and said, “Oh that’s all right, Mommy. I’d rather be in here with you,” Then he continued to bounce happily along behind her. After stepping on his toes for the fifth time, she began to lose her patience and insisted that he go outside and play with the other children. When she angrily asked him why he was acting this way, he looked up at her with sweet green eyes and said, “Well, Mummy, in the school my teacher told me to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. But I can’t see him, so I’m walking in yours.” John Rose in ‘John’s Sunday Homilies’ May we feel at home with God and God with us! Fr. Jude Botelho [email protected] PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in these reflections. These reflections are also available on my web site www.netforlife.net Thank you.
