Feast of the Holy Family-Year C 2024

Readings: 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28; Psalm 84; 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24; Luke 2:41–52

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. Interestingly, the readings chosen for this feast day do not include a story of togetherness and harmony in the household but of separation and anxiety. Then again, it is in those moments when the opportunities for reliance on God and the striving for holiness are most visible and appreciated. The readings present us with a rich tapestry of themes that speak to the life of families centered on God, rooted in love, and guided by trust.

Hannah’s story is a powerful testament to the faithfulness and dedication required in our relationship with God. Hannah’s name is a feminine form of the Hebrew word for “grace” or “favor,” so her name is quite literally “Grace,” a foreshadowing of a woman who would be “full of grace. Hannah was barren but prayed fervently for a child, and when God granted her a son, Samuel, she fulfilled her promise by dedicating him to the Lord. Her willingness to fulfill her vow and dedicate Samuel to the Lord reminds us of the importance of keeping our promises to God and trusting in His plans for our lives.

Both women, Hannah and Mary, had sons who were answers to prayer and boys who became priest-prophets and saviors for their people. Samuel, a young boy, was taken to the Temple where he was raised. He eventually became a priest, prophet, and judge.

And Jesus, we know the story: Jesus remains in the Temple when everyone else leaves Jerusalem to return home, and after three days of searching for him, Mary and Joseph find him sitting, listening to the teachers, and asking him questions. They are anxious and concerned.

But Jesus says, Did you not know I must be in my father’s house? Jesus’ utterance of his divine mission shows obedience to the [heavenly] Father while not dismissing that which was due to Mary and Joseph. Jesus understood himself as a priest-prophet, which was designated from birth, according to the model of Samuel. Mary and Joseph do not fully understand, but they acknowledge and love.

In this very statement, Jesus points to God the Father as his father. It is here that Jesus puts forth his divinity. Jesus, fully God and fully human, lays forth who he is at the age of twelve. Mary took all of this and pondered it in her heart, just as she did the prophecy of Simeon. While this statement of Jesus may not have been known to everyone, something in Mary stirred her to keep it close in her heart, because her son was slowly revealing himself to the world.

Even as he began to reveal his divinity to the world, Jesus went home with Mary and Joseph to learn from them. It was under Mary’s tender compassion, wisdom, and purity, as well as Joseph’s chaste devotion and loyalty, that Jesus advanced in wisdom, age, and favor before God and man.

Jesus was about the Father’s business even in those early childhood years. The Holy Family models for us that holiness in families is possible. And that holiness within the home leads us to be about the Father’s business and will in our lives.

Jesus, though he was God, obeyed Mary and Joseph in the most perfect and pure sense. When reflecting on the evangelical counsels, obedience is one of the vows those of religious orders and societies profess. Humble obedience allows us to see the Father’s plan for our lives more clearly. Jesus models obedience in the home of Mary and Joseph. He models what it looks like to honor father and mother, yet at the same time, he completes the Father’s will.

The passage from 1 John eloquently highlights the profound nature of God’s love for humanity and our identity as His children. This love serves as the cornerstone of every family. When families base their relationships on God’s love, they exemplify Christ’s presence daily. The passage underscores that God deeply values us, and this love compels us to adhere to His commandments. Reflecting on this passage encourages us to embrace our identity as children of God and recognize that His love is the foundation of a holy family, manifested through patience, forgiveness, and mutual respect.

The Feast of the Holy Family reminds us of the profound holiness found within the home. Through the examples of Hannah, Mary, and Joseph, we see the importance of faith, obedience, and dedication to God’s will. Jesus’ temple actions and obedience to his earthly parents highlight the balance between divine mission and familial duties. As we reflect on the love and unity within the Holy Family, may we strive to cultivate the same virtues in our families, trusting in God’s plan and embracing our identity as His beloved children. Mary kept all these things in her heart and pondered them. Let us keep the mystery of Christ’s love in our hearts, allowing it to guide us in our daily lives and relationships.