Every year we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family on the Sunday within the octave of Christmas. On this day, it is nice to think of the importance of relationship and the spirituality we are called to experience in the family. Our own family can become the sanctuary that we like to have, even in the midst of the hustle and bustle of our daily life. For this purpose, the virtues that we need to learn from the Holy Family and be strengthened as members of the family, are loyalty, faithfulness and unconditional
love.
Pope Francis, in his address to the families in the world, expressed that the Holy Family is an example that does our families great good, helping them increasingly to become communities of love and reconciliation, in which tenderness, mutual help and mutual forgiveness are experienced. He stated that the key words for living in peace and joy in the family are “may I”, “thank you” and “sorry”. In our family, when we are not intrusive and ask “may I”, in our family when we are not selfish and learn to say “thank you” and in our family when one realizes that he/she has done something wrong and knows how to say “sorry”, there is peace and joy.
On the feast of the Holy Family, let us ask our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, her spouse, to enlighten, comfort, and guide us in the world, so that as a family, we may be able to fulfil with dignity and peace the mission, which God has entrusted to us.
The New Year is going to begin in a few days. Right now, it may bring mixed feelings of emotions and memories for many of us. Some may have just experienced the best year ever and look forward to an even greater one. Others may have just passed through one struggle after another. Whatever be it, the truth amidst all our thoughts is that we are not alone; Jesus is with us as “Emmanuel”, “God with us”. He walks along with us through joys and sorrows of life. With this assurance, I wish you all a Blessed year 2021.
God bless you all
Fr. Arul Joseph V.
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