Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

The "Holy Family" and the "Mother of God"

 

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Dear Parishioners,

On the Sunday after Christmas, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Family means a great deal to me. I have worked hard over the years to try to keep my family together, wherever and whenever it was possible. Spending time my brothers and sister and their families, especially around the holidays, continues to be a special gift to me. I realize that no family is perfect. We all have to deal with particular family issues and circumstances, varying problems and challenges, diverse personalities, etc. Yet, all of this is accompanied by multiple blessings.

Sometimes I think that certain people tend to idealize the Holy Family and forget the many difficulties and hardships that Jesus, Mary and Joseph had to endure. We read in the Sacred Scriptures that Mary was found with child before living with Joseph. He was initially going to divorce her quietly. (Mt. 1: 18-19) Then, there was no place for Jesus to be born in the lodgings of Bethlehem after Joseph and Mary (now in the final stage of her pregnancy) had travelled considerable distance. (Lk. 2: 4-7) As an infant, Jesus’ life was threatened by King Herod and His parents had to flee with Him to Egypt. (Mt. 2: 13-18) Joseph and Mary seemingly lost—could not immediately find—the boy Jesus during their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. (Lk. 2: 41-51) Mary later witnessed her only Son tortured and killed in front of her eyes. (Jn. 19: 25)

These were not quite the circumstances of a perfect, ideal life, were they? Through it all, Jesus, Mary and Joseph had each other and were bound together by mutual love and respect. They all greatly loved and trusted God, our Heavenly Father, and were obedient to His will as it was revealed and unfolded for them.

Today, problems within the family unit continue to exist—at a somewhat grand scale and pace. Various people question, with some even wanting to redefine, the traditional understanding of “family.” Family life as we once knew it in society seems to be eroding. I contend that we need to look at the Sacred Scriptures to see what they teach us (albeit ever so briefly) about the family life experienced by the Holy Family. Their obvious trust in God in difficult circumstances, their obedience to His will, and their fidelity to God and to one another are great examples for us all to follow.

In addition, on January 1st the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. While Catholics may use the term Mother of God regularly when praying the Hail Mary, some people may have questions about the meaning of this particular title. The Council of Ephesus (431) declared that the Blessed Virgin Mary is Theotokos or God-Bearer (in Greek). In the Latin Church, we use the term Mater Dei. Simply stated, our Catholic belief teaches that:

Although Mary is the Mother of God, she is not his mother in the sense that she is older than God or the source of her Son’s divinity, for she is neither. Rather, we say that she is the Mother of God in the sense that she carried in her womb a divine person—Jesus Christ, God "in the flesh" (2 John 7, cf. John 1:14)—and in the sense that she contributed the genetic matter to the human form God took in Jesus Christ. (Catholic Answers)

We should remember that the Blessed Virgin Mary is solely responsible for the genetic material for Jesus’ human body (in cooperation, of course, with the Holy Spirit) as St. Joseph was Jesus’ foster-father.

As we begin the New Year, I customarily entrust and consecrate my parish family (wherever I am pastor) to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary on New Year’s Day. I give this parish and all of its parishioners over to the loving care of the Mother of God. I invite you to join me. I can think of no better way to begin the New Year. 

God’s blessings in the New Year!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Holy Family vs. Modern Family

The cast of ABC's Modern Family

Dear Parishioners,

As believing Christians, we are called to look at the Sacred Scriptures for valuable lessons in living our lives. What do we see in the pages of the Bible when we examine the lives of those comprising the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary and Joseph?

First, we see two particularly faith-filled people more than willing to do God’s Will. We hear Mary’s often-quoted response to the angel Gabriel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk. 1:38) We also see Joseph’s obedient reaction to angel of the Lord telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife into his home: “When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” (Mt. 1: 24) Joseph was also obedient in relocating Mary and Jesus to Egypt (Mt. 2:13-14) and in returning them once again to Israel. (Mt. 2: 19-21) 

As we look further, we see the many difficulties that this couple had to face: pregnancy outside of wedlock (albeit, a miraculous pregnancy without marital relations) (Lk. 1:26 ff), no dignified place to give birth or to live (Lk. 2:7), a threat to the life of the child (Mt. 2:13 ff), substantial distances to travel (Mt. 2:13 & 2:20), and the scare and worry over a lost child (Mt. 2:41 ff). Later, Mary was witness to the brutal torture and death of her Son on the cross (John 19: 25-27). These were not the easiest life experiences to have to face, if you ask me!

Although most details are absent, we can surmise that this family prayed together, went to the synagogue regularly, worked hard and faced the various concerns that go with raising a child in Israel at that particular time.

Contrast this situation with the many bizarre concepts that we have been subjected to in TV sit-coms like Modern Family, Family Guy, The Simpsons or All In the Family, to name just a few. A tagline for Modern Family gives enough information to let us know that we are not dealing with anything resembling a Leave It to Beaver family: “One big (straight, gay, multi-cultural, traditional) happy family.” The Simpsons deals with a “dysfunctional family” headed by Homer, the “oafish, unhealthy, beer-loving father” and including Bart "the ten year old underachiever (and proud of it)." One only has to have a brief glimpse of the irreverent humor of creator and comedian Seth MacFarlane, to know that the content of Family Guy is going to be Offensive—with a capital O. Finally, most people see Archie Bunker (of All In the Family) as an icon for the bigoted, questionably-educated, pseudo-conservative male. Not the best examples of family life to be found anywhere around here, unfortunately.

I close with words from a man much holier and more intelligent than I will ever be, Saint John Paul II:

I wish to invoke the protection of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

Through God's mysterious design, it was in that family that the Son of God spent long years of a hidden life.  It is therefore the prototype and example for all Christian families. It was unique in the world. Its life was passed in anonymity and silence in a little town in Palestine. It underwent trials of poverty, persecution and exile.  It glorified God in an incomparably exalted and pure way. And it will not fail to help Christian families—indeed, all the families in the world—to be faithful to their day-to-day duties, to bear the cares and tribulations of life, to be open and generous to the needs of others, and to fulfill with joy the plan of God in their regard.

St. Joseph was "a just man," a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care. May he always guard, protect and enlighten families.

May the Virgin Mary, who is the Mother of the Church, also be the Mother of "the Church of the home." Thanks to her motherly aid, may each Christian family really become a "little Church" in which the mystery of the Church of Christ is mirrored and given new life. May she, the Handmaid of the Lord, be an example of humble and generous acceptance of the will of God. May she, the Sorrowful Mother at the foot of the Cross, comfort the sufferings and dry the tears of those in distress because of the difficulties of their families.  (Familiaris Consortio, # 86) 

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

The Holy Family

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph "B" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

The Holy Family

Dear Parishioners,

Family means a great deal to me.  Spending time with my mom, my brothers and sister and their families, especially around the holidays, is a special gift to me.

I realize that no family is perfect.  We all have to deal with particular family issues and circumstances, varying problems and challenges, diverse personalities, etc. Yet, all of this is accompanied by multiple blessings.

Sometimes I think that certain people tend to idealize the Holy Family and forget the many difficulties and hardships that Jesus, Mary and Joseph had to endure.  We read in the Sacred Scriptures that Mary was found with child before living with Joseph.  He was initially going to divorce her quietly. (Mt. 1: 18-19)  Then, there was no place for Jesus to be born in the lodgings of Bethlehem after Joseph and Mary (now in the final stage of her pregnancy) had travelled considerable distance. (Lk. 2: 4-7)  As an infant, Jesus’ life was threatened by King Herod and His parents had to flee with Him to Egypt. (Mt. 2: 13-18)  Joseph and Mary seemingly lost—could not immediately find—the boy Jesus during their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. (Lk. 2: 41-51)  Mary later witnessed her only Son tortured and killed in front of her eyes. (Jn. 19: 25)

These were not quite the circumstances of a perfect, ideal life, were they?

Yet, through it all, Jesus, Mary and Joseph had each other and were bound together by mutual love and respect.  They all greatly loved and trusted God, our Heavenly Father, and were obedient to His will as it was revealed and unfolded for them.

Today, problems within the family unit continue to exist—at a somewhat grand scale and pace.  Various people question, with some even wanting to redefine, the traditional understanding of “family.”  Family life as we once knew it in society seems to be eroding.

I contend that we need to look at the Sacred Scriptures to see what they teach us (albeit ever so briefly) about the family life experienced by the Holy Family.  Their obvious trust in God in difficult circumstances, their obedience to His will, and their fidelity to God and to one another are great examples for us all to follow.

Pray to the Holy Family.  Consecrate your families to the care of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Pray that our families be blessed and protected from the many threats that try to destroy them.

Pray fervently for the grace to know and to do God’s will.

And pray that our families will one day join the Heavenly Family that awaits us—united with Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor  

              

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - Fr. Edward Namiotka