Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family 2007

On Friday night Fr Morrie and I con-celebrated Mass with several other priests and bishops at a Vigil for Fr Denis Power who died last week. I sat in the Caloundra Church and listened to the stories of Denis' life as told by family and friends. His funeral will be held on Monday at St Stephen's Cathedral. Back in 1948 he volunteered to come to work in the Brisbane Church. He die not even know where Brisbane was! He said to his mother, "I may never see you again." This was in the days when a journey to Australia took months not hours. So it was quite possible that he would never see her again.

Such single minded commitments were commonplace for the Irish clergy coming to Australia and other countries in the past. Common too, for many missionaries leaving home for distant shores. It illustrates that, no matter how deep our attachment to our family of origin may be, zeal for God or for some cause in life can prompt us to sever those ties. For it is not just religious people who do it. Many people are so committed to a career or to some humanitarian project that they are quite prepared to leave family behind or to postpone having a family of their own. People are capable of doing great and heroic things for love of God, country, humanity or family.

For Jesus it was a constant throughout his life that all he did was for the Father who sent him. Jesus uses the metaphor of family to try to describe the intimate communion that is God. His mission was to establish a new kind of family with God and his people. He invites us to share that divine family life. His purpose is shown in such statements he made as, "Did you not know I must be about my father's business" (Luke 2:49) addressed to Mary and Joseph. Or to his disciples, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and keep it" (Luke 8:21). And in John's Gospel he spoke from the cross to Mary and the beloved disciple, "Behold your mother, behold your son" (John 19:26).

We struggle when we try to compare our own family with the ideal of the Holy Family of Nazareth. We think we could not be as holy as they. Yet no matter what kind of family we have, happy, or troubled, dysfunctional, single parent, poor or rich, there is a family bond with Christ through faith and baptism which brings holiness to every family.

Christmas can make us painfully aware of the limitations of our families. We try to make the Christmas gathering one which honours each and every member by our gift giving and sharing meals. Year by year we see all those human frailties still there. Yet in reflecting on the family of Nazareth we realise that it is in being steadfast in our commitment to each other whatever the failings of each member that we find holiness.

Our first reading today comes from a time when there were no such thing as schools as we know them. Children were educated within the extended family circle and tribe. The excerpt gives some of that practical wisdom a parent would want their child to learn. In a similar vein St Paul in the second reading offers advice to husbands and wives, parents and children. He writes, however, from the perspective that in Christ we are all brothers and sisters.

John in his Gospel says, "The word became flesh and dwelt amongst us" (John 1:14). As for us so for Jesus himself. His very personality, his Jewish religious traditions, were shaped by his family life. He became as all men are, Paul says. We owe a great deal to our families even though sometimes there can be a love hate relationship with them as we grow and seek our own way in life.

But for us, whatever our families provided or failed to provide we are affirmed by God in the words of Paul today: "You are God's chosen race, his saints; he loves you..." Colossians 3:12).

In the New Year that approaches let us continue to exchange gifts. Gifts such as these: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, forgiveness and, to clothe them all, love.