1st Sunday after Christmas - Honor Your Parents [December 30]
| 1st. Reading | : | Eccles. 3: 2-6; 12-14 |
| 2nd Reading | : | Colossians 3: 12-21 |
| Gospel | : | Matthew 2: 13-15, 19-23; |
Dear Friend,
It is said ‘Home is where your heart is!’ Everyone enjoys feeling at home in places where they can be themselves and with people who accept them and love them as they are. We do not choose our family, we are born into a family. We can make it a happy family by the role we play and the contribution we make to make everyone feel respected, cared for and loved. Christmas reminds us that God comes to us in the family and He is at home with us. Are we at home with God? Have a homely week-end!
- Fr. Jude
This first reading is a commentary on the fourth commandment: ‘Honour your father and your mother.’ We often think that this commandment in terms of obligation of younger children to obey their parents. But there is another essential part of it: the obligation of grown up children to ensure that their aged parents are able to live out their final years in comfort and dignity. This is of great relevance today. The author of Ecclesiasticus asserts that kindness to parents is especially pleasing to God, who accepts it as atonement for one’s sins. He also adds: “Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own.”
Dying of loneliness
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’m 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 Holy Day Liturgies’
The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians describes the cordial atmosphere that should reign in a Christian community, and in a Christian family. Fraternal love has to be the hallmark of the Christian community and every family is a small Christian community where love must prevail. In order that love might prevail in a Christian community and family every member has to do his or her bit; it is not the task only of the parents or the onus of the children alone to contribute to the family spirit. A harmonious atmosphere in the family can be maintained by the practice of the virtues of kindness, gentleness, mutual respect, patience and above all forgiveness. Parents should set an example for their children by the way they live their Christian lives.
Play your role in life
A military commander’s three-year-old daughter was a bundle of joy and energy. The commander was noted for strict discipline. One day, annoyed with the child’s antics, the mother commented to father: “What is the use of your being a disciplinarian. Look at your daughter, so naughty and mischievous. Why don’t you bring a little discipline in her? The commander took this seriously. He called his daughter and said to her, “Today onwards you should be well disciplined.” She said, “OK Daddy!” “Don’t call me Daddy. Whenever you want to talk to me you should start with Sir and end with Sir”, said he. The girl immediately responded, “Sir, yes, Sir.” Even if she wanted to have ice cream she had to “Sir, I want ice cream Sir.” One day the commander went shopping and the little girl wanted to go along. He agreed to take her provided she sat in the back seat of the car. She agreed and about half the way to their destination he felt a little hand on the back of his neck and heard her….. “Sir, I love you Sir.” The commander got the message.
- G. Francis Xavier in ‘The World’s Best Inspiring Stories’
In today’s reading of Matthew’s Gospel, we are told how God watches over the family of Jesus Mary and Joseph, guiding, guarding and protecting them from all harm. What he does for the family of Nazareth, he does for every family, for He is the giver and protector of all life. His care is seen in the wondrous way he inspires Joseph to rise and flee from the clutches of Herod. Joseph on his part implicitly trusts the divine inspiration he receives without questioning or trying to understand God’s plan. He is unmindful of the hardships he and his family have to endure. He is faithful to his task of guarding and nurturing the divine life entrusted to him. After he has settled down in Egypt and the child is growing up, once again he is told to move and return to his former home in Nazareth. Joseph and Mary silently obey God’s plan. In the gospel we see exemplified the primary obligation of parents, which is to love, care and protect their children. We see what Mary and Joseph did in order to ensure the safety of the child Jesus. As soon as they learned that his life was in danger, they uprooted themselves and went into exile. And when the danger had passed years later, they uprooted themselves again and returned to their native country. Many parents are called to make enormous sacrifices for their children. All parents can draw inspiration from the example of Mary and Joseph.
In her 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 three 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.” She gathered him in her arms and held him close. Tears of love and humility spilled over from the prayer that grew in her heart prayer of thanks for the simple, yet beautiful perspective of a three-year-old boy.
- John Rose in ‘John’s Sunday Homilies’
"We celebrate the mystery of the child Jesus living with his parents. The tone of the celebration is a meditation wholly centered on Christ, from which all Christian families can learn. ‘Where does the Messiah come from?’ asked the contemporaries of Jesus of Nazareth. They knew nothing of his birth in Bethlehem of Judah and they were amazed that one who claimed to be the Messiah should come from Galilee (Jn 1: 46: 7:41). This is why Matthew goes over the journeying of Jesus while a child: his career as a displaced person. As a result of the menace of Herod his parents were forced to take refuge in Egypt, where Jesus re-enacted the history of the chosen people. Afterwards the family settled in Nazareth hence the surname ‘Nazarene.’ From the time of his birth, Jesus was under the shadow of the cross. The Holy Family had its problems. Mary and Joseph wished to share the lot of this perplexing child, whom they follow, step by step, in the unfolding of his mystery. Our admiration should be awakened by their complete submission to God’s will.”
-Glenstal Bible Missal
Film -Shane
The movie Shane starring Alan Ladd has become a frontier classic. Shane is a mythical American hero who fights for the rights of defenseless homesteaders being terrorized by a lawless cattleman and his hired gunmen. Shane himself is an ex-gunslinger who is searching for something to give meaning to his life. At first he merely befriends the Start family, who take him in as a hired hand for their farm. But when trouble begins, Shane becomes their defender and savior. He risks his life for Joe and Marion Start and their son Li’l Joe in order to save their pride and property from the ruthless cattleman. The movie Shane is more than a cowboy legend. It is also a modern parable about a Christ-figure and about family life. Shane is a Christ-figure in the story, not in the sense of his use of guns and fistfights, but in the sense of a celibate man who defends the powerless, risks his life for them, and then rides off alone to help someone else.
- Albert Cylwicki in ‘His Word Resounds’
Don’t humiliate them!
As a student, Daniel Webster (author of Webster’s Dictionary) was particularly marked for being untidy. Finally the teacher, in exasperation, told him that if he appeared again with such dirty hands she would thrash him. He did appear in the same condition. “Daniel”, she said, “hold out your hand.” Daniel spat on his palm, with an intention to clean it, rubbed it on his trousers and held it out. The teacher surveyed it in disgust. “Daniel”, she said, “if you can find me another hand in this school that is dirtier than that, I will let you off.” Daniel promptly held out his other hand! –Many children with an eccentric trait blossom into geniuses. The teachers and parents should not underestimate them or humiliate them.
- G. Francis Xavier in ‘The World’s Best Inspiring Stories’
May we discover our God Emmanuel in our homes and in each one dwelling there!
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