Feast of the Holy Family, December 31, 2023
/The Holy Family was a typical and observant Hebrew family / The importance of unselfishness in families and in the Kingdom
Luke 2:22–40
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
Music Meditations
- Mary, did you know?—Pentatonix
- When Joseph was an old man—Jose Feliciano
- Joy to the world--Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Opening Prayer
adapted from today’s Psalm 105:
I give thanks to you, O Lord, I invoke your name I will make your name and your seeds known among the nations. I will sing to you, sing your praise, Proclaim all your wondrous deeds ( Pause here and consider what deeds of Christ have helped/saved you and yours) I give glory to your holy name, O Jesus I rejoice with all hearts that seek you I look to you, Lord in your strength I constantly seek your face. Amen
Companions for the Journey
From ‘Living Space”, a service of the Irish Jesuits:
Today’s Gospel says, “They took [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord’.” The actual ritual is not described but we are introduced to two elderly people who were in the Temple at the time. The first of these was a devout man called Simeon. He had been told that he would not die until he had first laid eyes on the promised Messiah. Guided by the Spirit he came into the Temple and recognized in Mary’s child the long-awaited Messiah. He makes a prayer of thanksgiving to God for answering his prayer “for my eyes have seen your salvation”. And what he has seen is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel”. Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God, is a divine revelation to the non-Jews and the glory of God’s own people from whom he came. Mary and Joseph are quite amazed at the words being spoken. There is a lot they still do not know about their Son. But Simeon then had some ominous words for the Mother: “This child is destined for the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” This is the paradox of Jesus. He comes as Savior bringing life for the whole world and yet there will be people who will reject his message of truth and life. His own people will be deeply divided over him. This will be a source of deep pain for the Mother, something she will not realize fully until she sees him die in agony before her eyes. Simeon’s words must have been very puzzling and even alarming to Mary and Joseph. The second person to greet the parents and their Child was another deeply religious person. She was Anna, whose husband had died after only 7 years of marriage and who had now been a widow for more than 60 years. She spent all her time in the Temple in prayer and fasting. On seeing the Child, she gave thanks to God and spoke about him to everyone she met. As mentioned, when this feast was called the Purification of Our Lady there was for a long time a custom in the Church for mothers to go through a purification ceremony after giving birth. Such a rite is now seen as inappropriate but the revised Rituale Romanum (Roman Ritual) still provides for the blessing of women both before and after birth. The latter is only in cases where the mother could not be present at the baptism of her child. In general, it would seem highly appropriate for a special blessing to be given to mothers on this day. The feast is now called the Presentation of Our Lord and the emphasis is more on Jesus than on his Mother. The blessing and the procession of candles as well as the Scripture readings focus on Jesus who is the “Light of the World”. The First Reading is from the prophet Malachi. It consists of a prophecy which can be applied to the Messiah and hence to Jesus. The opening sentence reminds one of John the Baptist: “I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me”. But then the rest of the sentence foreshadows today’s feast: “Suddenly there come to the temple the Lord whom you seek and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” A clear reference to Jesus, as the Word of God and the one who will inaugurate the New Covenant between God and his people. The prophecy goes on to warn that the coming Messiah will be a real challenge, he will be “like the refiner’s fire”. He will refine the sons of Levi, “refining them like gold or silver, that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord”. For those who welcome his message and his call, Jesus is good news but for those who will reject his call it will mean death and the end of life. The Second Reading is from the Letter to Hebrews. It speaks of the meaning of God’s Son coming to live among us as one of us, which, of course, is the theme of today’s feast. For the Son of God came to share our flesh and blood and all that goes with it. It was in this way that he would “destroy the one who has power of death, that is, the devil”. On the contrary, he has come to liberate “those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life”. In order to do this, the Son “had had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people”. And, on the cross, Jesus will be both Priest and Victim, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. As the reading concludes, “because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested”. All of this is foreshadowed in the warnings that Simeon gives to Mary about the sword of sorrow which will pierce her heart.
Further reflection:
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today’s session…
The favor of God was upon him
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?
Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:
Reflection Questions
Meditations
A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Memory:
Adapted from Terrance Klein, in “America”, the Jesuit weekly magazine: There would have been tears, I think. If Simeon had waited all those years for the Lord, if Anna were a widow and so advanced in age, they would have shed tears when they saw the Infant King, certainly when they were allowed to hold him. It is quite possible that Mary and Joseph shed a few tears while nurturing and bringing up Jesus—tears when he was sick, tears when he was lost, tears when he seemed to have plans for life that differed from the norm. The tears of the first half of life are often tears of disappointment or impatience, because we have made mistakes, or because life is not unfolding as we wish, or not unfolding fast enough…… Life’s second half is awash in tears. Tears for what happened long ago, in the first half; tears because time is too short to be savored; tears because life itself has begun to run deeper. Everything seems to matter more.
Where are you in your life’s journey right now? Have you shed tears for mistakes you or others have made? Have you shed tears for the loss of someone important to you? Have you shed tears of joy for a wonderful experience you have had?
Spend a little time sorting through the memories you have accumulated in your life so far. Thank God for the good things that have given you joy and for the bad or sad things that have made you strong.
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:
Imagine that you are standing by when this couple comes into the temple, having offered the poor peoples’ sacrifice of two turtledoves. What are they wearing, and how are they behaving toward this infant? Who is holding him? What are the expressions on their faces? Do they seem somewhat in awe of their surroundings? In awe of the precious gift of a child? Now take a look at who else is there. Describe the old man Simeon. Why does this couple give him the child to hold? What is his expression when the baby is placed in his arms? How do you react to the words of thanksgiving that Simeon utters? How would you react if you were Simeon? Now take a look at the old woman, Anna the prophetess. In your mind’s eye, imagine what she looks like, what she is wearing. Do you think Mary and Joseph were taken aback by her prediction? Do you feel for his parents when you hear what the future holds for them? What words in his prediction might also apply to you in your life? Put these words in your own vernacular, and make this your evening prayer this week: Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples. A light for the revelation to the Gentiles. And glory for your people Israel.
Poetic reflection:
Read this poem by Michael J. Kennedy, S.J., (Taken from “First Impressions”, a service of the Southern Dominican Province, 2007) and see if any of the observations he makes apply to you:
“Leave it to Beaver”
(Holy Family)There are at Least two things that Mess up our appreciation of The Holy Family and the first is The utter uniqueness of this family For who can relate to a mother Who is a virgin and a step-father Of sorts and a Son who is unlike Any son before or after and yet The second reason we do not really Get them might be the source Of our ignorance because we Keep pushing our preconceived Ideas as fact instead of Trying to accept the Gospel on its Own terms **** So we often see Mary As above being human capable Of magic and sort of floating Above others during her life On earth and we see Joseph as A kindly old man mostly out of Touch with reality and one who Died way before Calvary and The first Easter and Jesus We see as a terrific First century Superman **** But if we look More closely and accept The Scriptures as they are We then see a generous and loving Spouse and a young Jewish mother And a Son who was not just the Son of God but also fully human And the reason for the holiness Of this family is because they Were so human yet filled with Faith since they were a real Family and not one like the Phony family in Leave It to Beaver
Poetic Reflection:
Please read this poem for the season by Dr. Maya Angelou... it will soothe your soul...
"Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem"
Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses. Flood waters await us in our avenues. Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche Over unprotected villages. The sky slips low and grey and threatening. We question ourselves. What have we done to so affront nature? We worry God. Are you there? Are you there really? Does the covenant you made with us still hold? Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters, Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air. The world is encouraged to come away from rancor, Come the way of friendship. It is the Glad Season. Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner. Flood waters recede into memory. Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us As we make our way to higher ground. Hope is born again in the faces of children It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets. Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things, Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors. In our joy, we think we hear a whisper. At first it is too soft. Then only half heard. We listen carefully as it gathers strength. We hear a sweetness. The word is Peace. It is loud now. It is louder. Louder than the explosion of bombs. We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence. It is what we have hungered for. Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace. A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies. Security for our beloveds and their beloveds. We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas. We beckon this good season to wait a while with us. We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come. Peace. Come and fill us and our world with your majesty. We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian, Implore you, to stay a while with us. So we may learn by your shimmering light How to look beyond complexion and see community. It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time. On this platform of peace, we can create a language To translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other. At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ Into the great religions of the world. We jubilate the precious advent of trust. We shout with glorious tongues at the coming of hope. All the earth's tribes loosen their voices To celebrate the promise of Peace. We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Non-Believers, Look heavenward and speak the word aloud. Peace. We look at our world and speak the word aloud. Peace. We look at each other, then into ourselves And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation. Peace, My Brother. Peace, My Sister. Peace, My Soul.
Closing Prayer
From Sacred Space, a service of the Irish Jesuits:
Jesus, you share my humanity in every way. Like you I want to grow and become strong, filled with wisdom. I still have miles to go before I sleep. May the favor of God be with me as with you.
