Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons on Feast of the Holy Family

One of the interesting features of the family of Jesus is how it reaches into many situations of our own time. We live in an age where (at least in the West) traditional family units have been undergoing change. One of the facts of contemporary life is the fact that many start a family and then get married, other situations such as divorce may mean that children belong to a unit where there is only one natural parent, the other, rather like Joseph takes on a new family. I am glad that the Pope is reminding us to take a more pastoral attitude to these situations.

However my intention is not to start a reflection on family life as it ought to be, rather how can the image of the Holy Family, taken from the scriptures (for that really is our only source) help us in our own lives? Firstly I suspect we can take hope from the whole story of Joseph and Mary, they do not fit into what we might term a normal family at all. Mary’s acceptance of God’s gift, her generosity in allowing the Holy Spirit to come upon her, and carrying the living child to full term is a sign of a brave woman. Giving birth to him, with all its potential problems in a situation far removed from the security of her own family, shows a determination to see things through no matter what people might say. So for us Mary stands for the courage to live a life that is real and accept the truth even if others cannot believe.

Joseph is a more complex character, a person who thinks deeply, has a generous spirit and is a just and honourable man. He is also somebody who like Mary is unafraid to step outside normal boundaries and trust in God’s goodness. Beyond the joy of the birth of Jesus and the coming of the shepherds and Magi are hints at dark things going on. Shepherds are outcasts, the Magi gentiles; all are somehow caught up with deeper more unpleasant forces, so much so that Joseph has to flee with Mary and Jesus, refugees from violence.

Maybe the feast of our Holy Family calls to look beyond the problems of relationships today and focus one the one thing necessary, the power of love to change and transform.

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Britain.