Holy Family

"Abram said, 'You have given me no children, so a servant in my household will be my heir.' Then the word of the Lord came to him. He took [Abram] outside and said, 'Look up at the Heavens and count the stars if you can. Just so shall your descendants be.' "   [Genesis 15: 3-5].

December 30 this year marks the Feast of the Holy Family. This is the day on which we celebrate the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus.

During the holiday seasons in the Christian year, the times of the year such as Christmas and Easter, I think of my own family. Sometimes, I feel so very down at holiday time. My parents are gone now. My extended family-- siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins-- are either deceased or live in far flung places. The only family I see at holiday time are on my husband's side. I thank God for them. But it is not the same.

This concept of closeness during the holidays is actually a lonely business for me! I feel sort of depressed during this time. I feel like I have no family.

I imagine how Abram (who became the great Abraham) must have felt. He had reached a very advanced age; the Bible says he was ninety-nine years old. And he had no children with his wife Sarai.

Even if my family were still around me, they were so far from perfect! We have all known dysfunctional families around us:  families with alcohol addiction, arrest records, suicide in the family, verbal abuse, neglect, physical abuse, abandonment, even cruelty.

So we ask ourselves, how can we be expected to be joyous in this Christmas time, if we have no family, or if our family is so dysfunctional?

First of all, this dilemma causes me to reflect on the Holy Family itself. This family was holy and true and Heaven sent. But perfect? Not according to our modern eyes.

Joseph was a humble carpenter. Would I reject him today because he is not the go-getter, corporate type?

And Mary. . . .She was apparently very young, maybe all of fourteen. She was uneducated, perhaps not literate. Would I judge her for not being a worthy mother? And her pregnancy-- when she had had no relations with a man? Hunh?!

At the time, Joseph was merely engaged to her. Then an angel came to him and explained that it would be best for him to stand by her, because she was with child by the power of the Holy Spirit.

None of this makes much sense in an earthly way. But we accept this family in a sacred way; in fact, we welcome them joyfully into our hearts! For God, this family IS perfect!

After awhile, as I have begun to think of this Holy Family, I have realized that my own family does not have to be perfect, and neither do I. God accepts us all as His children anyway!

Then, I realize: In some ways, having no family is very freeing! Do you think I am crazy for saying this?

I say this because, if No One is my family, then I am free to regard Everyone as my family! I really like this idea. If Jesus, Mary and Joseph can represent the Holy Family for all humankind, then why can't I welcome all the children of God as my own family? Even if we had no other human being on earth, we are all part of this one Holy Family!

My son said to me recently that he wants his best friend to be his brother. I said to him, "Your best friend can be your brother! You just have to treat him that way!"

In this Scripture above, God explains to Abram that he should go out and look up at the night sky and count all the stars. Then he will get an idea of how many descendants that he will have, whom he can call family!

I ponder how many hundreds of millions, even billions of people there are in this world. Then I think about how I complain bitterly that I have "no family" !

In truth, I have a family as extensive as the number of stars in the sky. These stars, my family of God, are more numerous than I can count. And these "brothers and sisters" are all, each in their own way, a beacon of brilliant light!

God, I praise you for sending all of Your sons and daughters into this world.  I pray that I may always remain grateful for Your family all around me!


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