FIRST READING (Your own issue shall be your heir.)

A reading from the Book of Genesis (15:1-6; 21:1-3)

The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what good will your gift s be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?” Abram continued, “See, you have given me no off spring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” The Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

The Lord took note of Sarah as he had said he would; he did for her as he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time that God had stated. Abraham gave the name Isaac to this son of his whom Sarah bore him. —The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9)

R. The Lord remembers his covenant forever. (Ps 105:7a, 8a)

Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. (R)

Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord! Look to the Lord in his strength; constantly seek his face. (R)

You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the Lord, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R)

He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations, which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. (R)

SECOND READING (The faith of Abraham, Sarah and Isaac.)

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (11:8, 11-12, 17-19)

Brothers and sisters: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age—and Sarah herself was sterile—for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.

By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.” He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol. —The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Heb 1:1-2)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the

prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son. (R)

(Long Form)

GOSPEL (The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (2:22-40)

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary 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, 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 Christ 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. —The Gospel of the Lord.

R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

(Short Form)

GOSPEL (The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (2:22, 39-40)

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

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. —The Gospel of the Lord.

R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

“The child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom;

and God’s favour was with Him.”

​On this Feast of the Holy Family, looking back over the last 12 to 18 months​

in our parish and the wider world, we are deluged with reports of anger, frustration, disharmony, separation and even abuse at the hands of a family member. Spouses are not communicating clearly or fail to be attentive to each other; parents neglect their children despite – with school closures and social distancing and shutdowns at work – children being at home more than ever in the past with their parents. Children in turn are disregarding and disobeying their parents.

​Perhaps it is time on today’s feast to return a bit to reflect on what are the true and good family values we should cherish. Are these found in the submission of a wife to her husband, or in the domineering rule of parents intimidating their children? Is anything easily applicable on a universal level for family harmony? Are there values that override differences in generations and cultures? Just what are authentic family values today?

​With so much threatening the family unit we have to begin by first examining this unit in its most basic form for us today, recognizing also the changes that are challenging the unit. Past generations did not have to cope with many of the difficulties we face now. Today, most households have both parents working to support a family. Children facing sudden shut-downs and lock-outs from schools are forced to depend on their parents and teachers even more for education through internet (a very poor replacement for face-to-face class time). Add to all this are the many extracurricular activities that used to fill a child or teen’s days – now gone through forced social distancing. More than ever, the complexity of family life has increased this past year. So, how can traditional family values be exercised today? Perhaps today’s Scripture readings can offer guidance for us.

​We often teach that the family is the first and primary school of faith, the fundamental church community. It is there that we learn right from wrong; it is there that we first learn to pray together, following the admonition of St. Paul to the Colossians, as a guide for us: “Put on… heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another…And over all these put on LOVE.” We are all called to act with this kind of love and respect towards others: husbands to wives, parents to children, children to grandparents, in-laws with in-laws (or “out-laws); friends with neighbors. All belong to the household of God and are to be treated according to that dignity.

​From our first reading from Sirach we find another description of family values – values going back thousands of years. Parents are told to be diligent in raising their children, and adult children are charged to be gentle with their own aging parents. Love, honor, and respect are the foundation of these family values. The writer of Sirach adds another dimension to this family picture – reminding us that our future is rooted in the rich soil of our past. True wisdom for living is found in the experience of our elders, in those who have already learned to live wisely. Sadly, too often in our modern culture, the elderly are pushed to the margins of social interaction, ignored or even forgotten. They are considered the “dead past,” and not the vibrant future. Youth and unrestrained spontaneity are placed before us as models to be emulated. But such a view impoverishes us – badly!

​Our Gospel describes how the parents of Jesus, faithful as they were to their cultural and religious duties, presented to God their child – who was seen – like all firstborns – as a gift from God. Like all parents, they must have wondered what kind of future lay in store for their child? We see that under their care, “he grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.” The mutual respect at the base of the relationships among the members of the Holy Family is evident in this short passage. The parents cared for their child and initiated him into their religious and cultural practices. Jesus responded to their care in waqys that demonstrated his own wisdom, and the favour of God rested on him. What a great example of family values? Mutual respect and humble submission.

​We hear it said often that children are our greatest asset and treasure. They are both the guardians of the past and the promise of the future. To them we entrust our social and cultural traditions, our family customs and even our secrets, as well as lessons we learn from our faith. Through our children, the dreams we have dreamt take forms we never imagined. Our children enrich our lives with hopes and dreams of their own for a better, brighter future. Their innocence, openness and vulnerability remind us of what it truly means to be human, and to view life with fresh excitement rather than jaded cynicism, and to be accepting of themselves and of others without prejudice or bias, to acknowledge that we are not self-sufficient but in need always of the love and support of others. Do we cherish this treasure? Do we nurture it?

​Our elders are another treasure in our midst. The years they have lived have taught them that miracles can happen. They know the ups and downs of life, and they have survived – often at severe or great cost – both. Their weathered faith enables them to recognize the face of God even in the unexpected. Living in the presence of God, they can open themselves and us to receive God’s gifts, for they have learned to allow God’s promises to overtake them. Both the very young and the very old can teach us genuine family values. These are values we should cherish.

Prayers

Celebrant:  The family of Nazareth inspires us to imitate the virtues of holiness and piety. With this ideal before us we ask the Lord to hear our prayers on this family day.

READER: For the family of the Church, that we may give respect and dignity to all God’s children, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For the family of people and nations, that the rights of the old and the young will be upheld for the sake of peace, justice, security and harmony, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: That all our families, that those separated from their family circle will find a home with God’s People,(Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For broken families, that God’s reconciling forgiveness will be granted, and for families in exile, or families that have suffered the loss of children or parents in this past year, that they may receive comfort and hope at this time, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For all people who have asked for our prayers or for whom we now remember in silence, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

CELEBRANT: Father in heaven, by subjecting himself to Mary and Joseph, your Son sanctified home life at Nazareth. As we offer our prayers, help us to follow his example, who lives and reigns, for ever and ever. (all) AMEN.