Kindness to a father will not be forgotten, firmly planted against the debt of your sin. – Sirach 3:14

I was not very close to Brad. Being the youngest in a brood of seven, I didn’t find it easy to understand his ways, his words and especially his temper. I was oftentimes thrown off by it so I chose not to speak to him at all. We were so distant and different.

       Ironically, I, of all my brothers and sisters, would spend most time with him. At home or outside traveling, I found myself being in his midst the most, allowing me to experience him in his truest form, imperfections and all.

       October 2009 was when God called Brad to join His army of angels in heaven. My mom and I were by his bedside when he was gone all of a sudden.

       Then I finally understood the reason why things were so with him. Because all along, I totally loved, cared for and honored Brad, my father. Eugene A. Cailao (eugenecailao@gmail.com)

Reflection: How is your relationship with the persons in your family right now?

Father God, please allow Your Holy Spirit to come upon me that I may honor my parents the way You want me to. Let me establish peace, love and healing with them and my brothers and sisters. May my family be in Your presence all the days of our lives.

The nuggets of wisdom we find in the Book of Ecclesiasticus have eternal value, if interpreted and understood correctly. As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, let us remember to be grateful for the blessing of our family as a gift from God. It is good to think about this once in a while because I am sure we will find something, if not many things, for which to be grateful. No matter how difficult our experience of family life is and has been, there are always blessings to be found if we look hard enough.

2 God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. 3 Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them. When he prays, he is heard; 4 he stores up riches who reveres his mother. 5 Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and when he prays he is heard. 6 Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother. 12 My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. 13 Even if his mind fail, be considerate with him; revile him not all the days of his life; 14 kindness to a father will not be forgotten, firmly planted against the debt of your sin — a house raised in justice to you.

1 Blessed is everyone who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways! 2 For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored. (R) 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table. (R) 4 Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. 5 The Lord bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. (R)

A group or society is built on the love that people are willing to show and express to one another. True love always directs us towards the other — the one to be loved, whether that be God Himself or another person. In this way, we see that love creates a sense of community by drawing people together, often over and above mere choice, into relationships that are more than mere affection or attraction. We do not choose our family members — they are there by default. Let us seek to have the best possible relationships with all the members of our families.

12 Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. 14 And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.

As a child, Jesus lived in obedience to His parents. Obedience tends to be a “no go” word in society today. It is seen to be in conflict with the modern understanding of freedom. However, this is a totally false notion — both the modern concept of freedom as “freedom from…,” i.e., whatever it is that’s trying to enslave us, and also how we understand the concept of obedience as contrary to freedom. Biblically speaking, obedience to God’s will is what frees us from everything else that would enslave us to a life of sin. Ironically, it is only through obedience that we are capable of acting freely.

Let the peace of Christ control your hearts; let the words of Christ dwell in you richly.

13 When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” 14 Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. 15 He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 19 When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. 23 He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazorean.”

think: Biblically speaking, obedience to God’s will is what frees us from everything else that would enslave us to a life of sin.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Sirah 36-40

THE BLESSING OF FAMILY

I was at an open air concert many years ago. During the interlude, I noticed a young boy wandering around the park looking for his parents. In a state of angst he cried out, “Mommy,” in the midst of the multitude. In one moment, the whole crowd cried out in pity for the child who had been separated from his parents. Soon, the child was reunited with his mother. The crowd of people cried out in delight and made their relief known through a sudden round of applause. Similarly, the Gospel tells of Mary’s desperation in looking for her Son.

       They were returning from the Passover. Usually, families would gather in groups and head back home. Thus, Mary and Joseph presumed that Jesus was with their cousins going home. To their shock and amazement, Jesus was nowhere in sight. Can you imagine the desperation of Mary as she searched for her child? Any mother will identify with her. Meanwhile, Jesus is unaware of their trouble. Upon finding Jesus in the temple, Mary expresses her concern that she had not known of his whereabouts. Luke comments that Jesus went home with them and lived under their authority.

       Today is the Feast of the Holy Family. We thank God for bringing us into a family, where we can live and learn the ways of God. One of the commandments is that we honor our mother and father, those who have given us life. They are representatives of God, entrusted with the right and duty to exercise care and concern over our lives. We are to submit to their authority during our years of development. The family should be a great school whereby we learn to love and live according to the ways of God. Of course, each family is unique in the eyes of God. Each family has its own weaknesses, sins, secrets and traditions. Through the birth of Jesus, we are born into another family that is the family of God, the Church. We are to submit our lives to God our Father in obedience and faithful love. In God’s family, we learn to be busy with the Father’s business, placing Him above all things. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

Lord, thank You for the gift of my family. Amen.