Sir 3:2-6, 12-14; Col
3:12-21; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23
Exile, deportation and seeking asylum in other countries have been
common in our history. Wars and civil strife have torn apart many
families, and separated parents and children, brothers and sisters, or
husbands and wives for many years, and, often, perpetually.
The story of Boris and Anna Kozlov is very touching.
Boris and Anna Kozlov were married in 1946. After three days Boris had to
ship out with his Red Army unit. By the time he returned, Anna was gone,
consigned by Stalin’s purges to internal exile in Siberia with the rest of her
family. Nobody knew where the family was, or what had happened to Anna... Boris
became frantic. He tried everything he could to find his young bride, but it
was in vain. She was gone.
After 60 years, one day, Anna Kozlov caught sight of the elderly man
clambering out of a car in her home village of Borovlyanka in Siberia. There,
in front of her, was Boris. An extraordinary coincidence leads them both to
return to their home village on the very same day. 60 years of separation has made
their reunion inexpressibly joyful.
In today’s Gospel we heard Mathew’s account that Jesus’ family had to be
separated from their kinsmen due to Herod’s decision to annihilate Jesus.
Joseph was asked to flee to Egypt with the child, and he obeyed the command of
the Angel.
From His birth to the beginning of His public life, Jesus chose to
experience all the aspects of human life. If Jesus was to help men, he must
know what were men’s lives. He did not come to a protected life, but he came to
the life that any ordinary man must live. He experienced the
hardships of the people who are forced to leave their home and kinsmen; he
experienced the problems of an ordinary workman, while working as a
carpenter in Nazareth; and He experienced the pangs of death when his
foster father died.
Just as every family has to
face problems and overcome them, the Holy Family had to face and overcome their
problems. The first problem encountered by the Holy Family was its flight into
Egypt as refugees because Jesus’ life was in danger due to Herod’s murderous
intentions. This is one of the experiences of many of the chosen men. When
Abraham was called, he was commanded to leave his father’s house and go to
an unknown land. Joseph was sold to the Egyptian traders and he was forced
to leave his father’s house and go to Egypt. The choice of Moses was
accompanied by his escape from the palace of Pharaoh and flight into an unknown
land. This is an unconditional demand that was placed on the people who have
found favour with God. Jesus was no exception to this. As a baby, Jesus grew up
in an alien land without the company of kith and kin. When we have to
leave our country for any reason, leaving our dear ones behind, remember that
the Holy Family had the same experience before us; when we are abandoned by our
relatives, remember that the Holy Family experienced it; when we are
forsaken by our friends, remember that the Holy Family had undergone the same
experience.
When instructed by the Angel Joseph returned from Egypt. But it was
unsafe to go to Judea. So he was guided to go to Galilee. The Holy Family
settled in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. The child hood of Jesus was
spent in Nazareth.
In Nazareth Jesus was growing up to boyhood, and then to manhood, in a
good home. A good home is a great gift. We are all here today, because
God gifted us with good homes. The training of Jesus was initiated in a good
home under the guidance of a good mother. George Herbert once said, “A good
mother is worth a hundred school masters”. The mother’s approach to the
children should be realistic, and their ambitions achievable. When mother’s
become over possessive and demanding, children try to evade them.
(Joke)A mother overheard the following
conversation between her young little daughter and a friend:
Jane: If you accept Jesus Christ as your personal saviour, you will go
to heaven when you die!
Mary: How about my mommy?
Jane She can do the same! But if you don’t want her to go there, don’t
tell her anything! (Randy Roberts’ Sermon Anecdotes II)
Home should be a place where children feel free to express their
concerns and anxieties about personal, social and religious life. Dorothy Law Nolte wrote, “Children Learn What They
Live”
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
Children should be provided with a conducive atmosphere to grow in
faith, truth and self-confidence. Parents’ example and life are a continual and
powerful sermon, which is always seen by their children.
(Joke)One day, a little girl was sitting
and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed
that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on
her head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked,
"Why are some of your hairs white, mom?" Her mother replied,
"Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me unhappy,
one of my hair turns white." The little girl thought for a while,
and said, "Momma, how come that grandma’s head is full of white hair?”
In Nazareth Jesus was fulfilling the duties of an eldest son. He
accepted the simple duties at home, and he honoured His father and mother.
Every culture evidences the instinct to reverence
ancestors, especially one’s own parents. But, in the fast pacing world,
often, we do not have time to spare for the elderly people.
Today’s first reading, from the book of Sirach
summarizes the relationship of father, mother and children. Sirach reminds
children of their duty to honour their parents – even when it becomes
difficult. He also mentions the two-fold reward which the Bible promises to
those who honour their father and mother - “riches” and “long life”. These are
two things we all wish for.
The Feast of the Holy Family teaches us to inculcate in our
children the virtue of honouring the elders. As St Paul says:
"Bring them up in the training and instruction of the
Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)
In Nazareth Jesus was learning the life of ordinary man.
Jesus worked as a carpenter, and earned his livelihood. Jesus knew the
world in which he was living. Jesus studied the people around Him. Jesus
understood the people to whom He was going to announce the Good News. So
he was called “one among them.” In our eagerness and anxiety to provide the
best for our children we do not give them any chance to experience the world in
which they live. We try to provide them the best education, so they ignore the
illiteracy around. We struggle to provide them the best food, so they are
unaware of the poverty that exists around them. We want to give them
the best of everything, so they do not see the suffering in the world. Hence,
there is no wonder if they behave like Marie Antoinette, the Queen of
France.
A rioting mob, forced into violence due to starvation
gathered outside the palace. The Queen asked what all the uproar was
about. She was told: “They have no bread.” She said, “If they have
no bread, let them eat meat.” The Queen who was living in abundance and
luxury could not understand the lot of a starving man.
The Holy Family of Nazareth - Jesus, Mary and Joseph is put before us by
the Church as a model for our families to imitate. In today’s
second reading St Paul gives some practical suggestions to model our
families like the Holy family:
“Wives, give way to your husbands,
as you should in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives
and treat them with gentleness,
Children, be obedient to your parents always,
because that is what will please the Lord.
Parents, never drive your children to resentment
or you will make them feel frustrated.”
Satish