Reflections on the Holy Family

Today’s readings speak to the importance of family. When God chose to become one of us, he came not as a self-sufficient adult, but as a part of a family; a child. The family is an integral part of God’s plan - both for Jesus and for each of us.

The importance of family helps us understand why Satan focuses so much of his energy on wounding familial relationships. If God is our heavenly Father, it makes sense that Satan would want to distort our bond and image of our earthly fathers, thereby damaging our ability to see God as all good and loving.

Most of us don’t need to look beyond our own families to see the effects of sin and broken humanity. Strained relationships with parents, siblings, or children can make it hard to celebrate the Holy Family today with any real joy. And it is true that there is real brokenness in some of our families, and some wounds that need more than just time to heal.

Many people benefit from processing family trauma or difficult relationships with a counselor or other mental health professional. In recent reflections, I shared some thoughts on navigating difficult family relationships that may be helpful to refer back to.

If you find yourself comparing your family to the Holy Family today, remember the reason that Christ became part of that family. He came to redeem sinful humanity. He came to lift us up out of the muck into which we had fallen, and to repair all the divisions sin had created. The Holy Family is an example for us, not to make us feel badly about the ways in which our own families fall short, but to show us what is possible for God’s grace to achieve.

Consider taking some time this week to reflect on and pray with the hope the Holy Family offers us. What areas of your own family life would you like to bring Christ’s love and redemption into?