December 29, 2019 - Feast of the Holy Family - A
Reading I: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Psalm 128
Reading II: Colossians 3:12-21
Gospel: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
When I asked the Lord what I should focus on regarding the Holy Family, I was struck by the fact that the Holy Family was a refugee family. With so many refugees in our world today, let us look at some of what that involves.
First, not everyone is welcoming to the foreigner. Years ago, a small house on the campus of Aquinas College was empty, so an interfaith group in Newton, Massachusetts, decided to adopt a refugee family. The maintenance man who had lived there had recently passed away, so the College offered the house as a Welcome Home for the refugee family. I was the liaison between the Convent and the family, so I knew the family well. As time went on, some neighbors were looking to find fault with the newcomers. Someone observed the father spanking one of the little girls. The neighbor reported the refugee family and the issue was brought to my attention. I was able to defend the father who was simply disciplining the child. Many people could not relate to the refugee family since they came from a different culture and held different beliefs. Some did not like having refugees living there.
Secondly, there are many challenges for the refugee when settling in a foreign country, especially when one does not know the language or customs. Joseph and Mary did not speak the language of the Egyptians. How challenging it must have been to have their basic needs met, like finding shelter. Joseph would have difficulty finding work to support the family. He may have begun by using his skills in carpentry, but communicating with his customers would probably have been challenging.
Finally, fear is involved. An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and says, "Arise and 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." Joseph, to protect his family, awakens them, and they travel by night to Egypt. Once in Egypt, they settle there. However, being human parents, Mary and Joseph probably worry that Herod will find them and destroy Jesus.
The refugee families throughout the world today also have to leave behind their homelands, possessions and sometimes family members to arrive in a community of people who may not accept them. In my work with some refugee families from China in the late '70s, I discovered that one family had to leave their two oldest sons and the grandmother behind. The sons were of the age for military service and would not be allowed to leave. Also, travel would have been too difficult for the elderly, fragile grandmother.
Another family had a business in China. Fleeing the Communist government, they traveled by foot through Vietnam heading for Cambodia. At times, they had to resort to eating the bark off of trees. When they did not have enough food, what little they had was given to the children. Both parents and the youngest child starved to death before reaching Cambodia. Then the two surviving children became separated during the explosion of a mine.
As a campus minister at Aquinas, I observed the fear of being separated from one another. I had young college women work with the children helping them to learn English. When the children went into the restrooms at the College, they gathered together in the cubicles out of fear that they might be separated from one another.
During the Christmas Season, we rejoice in the wonder of God sending his Son to earth to reveal himself more clearly to us and to redeem us. However, when we look more closely to see the reality of all the sacrifice and suffering this involved for the Holy Family, our hearts must be filled with deep gratitude for their willingness to say "Yes" to God's call.
Reflection Question: How can I imitate Mary and Joseph in response to God's plan in my life?
Spanish Translation
Lectura I: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Salmo 128
Lectura II: Colosenses 3:12-21
Evangelio: Mateo 2:13-15, 19-23
Cuando le pregunté al Señor en qué debería centrarme con respecto a la Sagrada Familia, me sorprendió el hecho de que la Sagrada Familia era una familia de refugiados. Con tantos refugiados en nuestro mundo hoy, veamos algo de lo que eso implica.
Primero, no todos son bienvenidos al extranjero. Hace años, una pequeña casa en el campus de Aquinas College estaba vacía, por lo que un grupo interreligioso en Newton, Massachusetts, decidió adoptar una familia de refugiados. El hombre de mantenimiento que había vivido allí había fallecido recientemente, por lo que el Colegio ofreció la casa como un hogar de bienvenida para la familia de refugiados. Yo era el enlace entre el convento y la familia, así que conocía bien a la familia. Con el paso del tiempo, algunos vecinos buscaban encontrar fallas en los recién llegados. Alguien observó al padre azotar a una de las niñas. El vecino denunció a la familia de refugiados y el tema me llamó la atención. Pude defender al padre que simplemente estaba disciplinando al niño. Muchas personas no podían relacionarse con la familia de refugiados ya que provenían de una cultura diferente y tenían creencias diferentes. A algunos no les gustaba tener refugiados viviendo allí.
En segundo lugar, existen muchos desafíos para el refugiado cuando se instala en un país extranjero, especialmente cuando uno no conoce el idioma o las costumbres. José y María no hablaban el idioma de los egipcios. Cuán desafiante debe haber sido satisfacer sus necesidades básicas, como encontrar refugio. Joseph tendría dificultades para encontrar trabajo para mantener a la familia. Puede haber comenzado usando sus habilidades en carpintería, pero comunicarse con sus clientes probablemente hubiera sido un desafío.
Finalmente, el miedo está involucrado. Un ángel se le aparece a José en un sueño y le dice: "Levántate y llévate al niño y a su madre, huye a Egipto y quédate allí hasta que yo te lo diga. Herodes buscará al Niño para destruirlo". Joseph, para proteger a su familia, los despierta y viajan de noche a Egipto. Una vez en Egipto, se instalan allí. Sin embargo, siendo padres humanos, María y José probablemente se preocupan de que Herodes los encuentre y destruya a Jesús.
Las familias de refugiados en todo el mundo de hoy también tienen que dejar atrás sus tierras, posesiones y, a veces, miembros de la familia para llegar a una comunidad de personas que tal vez no las acepten. En mi trabajo con algunas familias de refugiados de China a finales de los años 70, descubrí que una familia tenía que dejar atrás a sus dos hijos mayores y a la abuela. Los hijos eran mayores de edad para el servicio militar y no se les permitiría irse. Además, viajar habría sido demasiado difícil para la anciana y frágil abuela.
Otra familia tenía un negocio en China. Huyendo del gobierno comunista, viajaron a pie por Vietnam en dirección a Camboya. A veces, tenían que recurrir a comer la corteza de los árboles. Cuando no tenían suficiente comida, lo poco que tenían se les daba a los niños. Ambos padres y el hijo más joven murieron de hambre antes de llegar a Camboya. Luego, los dos niños sobrevivientes se separaron durante la explosión de una mina.
Como ministro del campus en Aquinas, observé el temor de estar separados el uno del otro. Hice que jóvenes universitarias trabajaran con los niños ayudándoles a aprender inglés. Cuando los niños entraron a los baños del Colegio, se reunieron en los cubículos por temor a que pudieran separarse unos de otros.
Durante la temporada navideña, nos regocijamos en la maravilla de Dios enviando a su Hijo a la tierra para revelarse más claramente a nosotros y redimirnos. Sin embargo, cuando miramos más de cerca para ver la realidad de todos los sacrificios y sufrimientos que esto implica para la Sagrada Familia, nuestros corazones deben estar llenos de profunda gratitud por su disposición a decir "Sí" al llamado de Dios.
Pregunta de reflexión: ¿Cómo puedo imitar a María y a José en respuesta al plan de Dios en mi vida?
Comments
Stephanie Morris, ASBS, Ph.D Historian, Certified Archivist, Emerita
At times each of us has experienced a little of what Mary and Joseph did. Were we ever the “other”? Not part of the majority or the “core group”? Were we ever anxious about a new challenge, a new job, a new home? Did we rely on God for strength, for words? Mary and Joseph trusted the Word of God to see them the new challenges. Mother Katharine suggested that we “throw the whole burden” on God. For our part, we should “Do each thing as well as you can, leave the rest to God.” We can imitate Mary and Joseph by doing what we are called to do and trusting God to do His part.
Pat Chiaffa, ASBS
For me, the short answer to your reflection question is to have faith that God has a plan for my life, and trust that God will provide the direction and support I need to accomplish His plan. The Bible tells us, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope” ( Jeremiah 29;11). While this sacred promise should fortify me with courage and the desire to move forward with whatever God wants of me, my “yes,” unlike Mary and Joseph’s affirmation, is murky. I’ll agree to give it a try if it doesn’t require too much time, effort, and discomfort. Obviously, I have a lot of spiritual work to do.
Today’s global refugee crisis is so difficult to hear about and see pictures of the sparse conditions and harsh treatment experienced by people forced to flee their homes. The awareness that Joseph and Mary were forced to make such a long, dangerous journey before Mary’s giving birth to Jesus, and then forced to flee again as a family, draws me to the crib with deeper humility, respect, awe, and wonder. The journey makes the difference. I would venture to say that Mary and Joseph grew closer to one another and to God as they traveled over the rough, unfamiliar terrain. A great deal of personal and spiritual growth results from cooperating with God. He uses the dark and lonely paths to mold us into the person He created us to be. Spiritual writers let us know that following God’s lead in never easy; the journey will be challenging and require self-sacrifice. But the “yes,” is always worth it because it bears fruit for His kingdom.
The plight of Joseph and Mary led to Bethlehem where Mary gave birth to Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. Let us pray for the grace to humbly come before the newborn child this Christmas day to offer praise, thanksgiving, and appreciation of the journey. The Christmas season is a good time to reflect on our own life journey, to look back and see how far we have come, evaluate where we are today, and to look ahead and say yes to the path God has planned for us – knowing, trusting that He walks with us.
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