Gospel: Matthew
2:13-15, 19-23
When the
magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream
and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there
until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph
rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He
stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the
prophet might be fulfilled, Out of Egypt I called my son.
When
Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in
Egypt and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of
Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” He rose, took the
child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.
But when
he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he
was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he
departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called
Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled,
He shall be called a Nazorean.
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Reflection:
A husband and wife who have been married in the church for more
than twenty years. The couple has four grown-up offsprings; one day while the
wife was rummaging into his husband’s things she discovered a long kept secret.
Her husband has another family, to make a long story short she confronted him
about it and he was made to choose by his wife. Them or his other family sadly
the philandering husband chose his other family.
A few days ago poor boy around 9 years old approached me and requested something
for Christmas. I asked him: where do you live? He said: very far from here.
Then I said where are your mother and father? And the boy said: I don’t know
where are they; as he walked away with what I’ve given him I looked at him as
he faded into the darkness of night.
I felt compassion for him unbelieving of his
parents’ irresponsibility. There are many more depressing family situations
that will make us cry and cringe in disappointment for parents who abdicate
their family responsibilities.
Today we
celebrate the The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph unlike the two
depressing stories that I’ve mentioned this family is solid as a rock. They
stayed together through severe persecution.
Saint
Joseph is the model head of the family, he is obedient to the will of God
unlike my first example Saint Joseph had no other family he was obedient to the
will of God. He was also faithful to the Blessed Mother he took care of her and
the baby Jesus.
Parents
are the driver of their family where the parents goes so is their family. If
the parents are irresponsible there’s a big chance that children would be also
when they have their own families.
Our own families are our domestic church this
is where children are taught about the basics of faith, morals, and manners. What
would happen to our children if we don’t even take time to nurture them, if we
don’t bring them to church for Holy Mass?
If we
don’t teach them about our Roman Catholic faith? If we don’t teach them how to
pray the Rosary which is one of the basic family prayer. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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