Feast of the Holy Family - 27th December 2015 - Reflection with Father Robin Gibbons

27th December 2015

Is there ever one great example of what 'family' life ought to be? In the past Christians were often encouraged to model themselves on the 'Holy Family' of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, but what exactly does that mean? It's an odd example to give us because its firstly conceived of as a very basic unit, man, woman, child, but we also know so very little about the early life of Jesus and how he grew up.

There are references in the Gospels to brothers and sisters, maybe children of Joseph or cousins. We know James in Jerusalem is referred to as the brother of the Lord and the words of Jesus to Mary and John at his crucifixion, to look after each other, hint at another familial connection, one which shows that a number of very different relationships seemed to constitute the 'family' of Jesus. There again in his own teaching he is continually widening the boundaries of his human family: 'who are my brothers and sisters?' he asks, and the answer he wants is that anybody who hears the word and acts upon it, who follows him is one of them!

So just what is the Holy Family? Maybe we need to approach it from several angles, realising that there are many different models hidden in the story. They certainly share the lot of many refugees, for tradition places them well away from Herod in exile in Egypt, so they can be identified amongst the many transient peoples of the world, seeking not just salvation but a home! Then there is the wider circle Jesus brings into his family connections, his disciples, those who became good friends, those he broke bread with and shared the cup.

Perhaps in the Christmas season we can return to the crib again and look there, here is his family, those who we place next to him at the moment of his birth and early days, outcast shepherds who become messengers of joy, angels from the heavens who speak with them as equals. Those Magi, foreigners, practitioners of science and religion who worshipped another God and yet in a true ecumenism let themselves be guided to find the true God, and lastly those creatures that shared his life, domestic and wild, God's loving creation.

The truth is the Holy Family is anybody, as St John says, who is both loved by God and called to be one of God's children. That's us!

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