Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14 / Colossians 3:12-21 / Luke 2:22-40
There's one common aspect in all of us, and that is every one of us belong to a family.
The word “family” evokes many thoughts and sentiments.
There is the big family, the small family, the extended family, the same family, and then there is the famous quirky “Addams family”.
As much as a happy family sounds nice and warm, the reality is that there are broken families and dysfunctional families.
Whatever it may be, the fact is that we belong to a family, regardless of whether we are born or adopted into it.
And the fact is also that the family shapes us and we also shape the family.
And the fact is also that there is no perfect family, because in the first place we ourselves are not perfect.
Nevertheless, the basic family unit is fundamental and essential to society and for the country.
To put it simply, it can be said that, stable family, stable society; happy family, happy country.
Today, the Church celebrates family, and we turn to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph for inspiration and direction.
Although the term “Holy Family” is not used in the Bible, that term expresses what the family is about.
Because it was God who created the roots of family life with Adam and Eve.
And it is through the family, and the members of the family, that God reveals His blessings.
Mary and Joseph were revelations of God's plan for each other.
From each other, they came to know what God's will is for them.
And when they brought the Infant Jesus to the Temple to present and consecrate Him to the Lord, the Holy Family became a blessing for others.
The upright and devout Simeon was prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to the Temple that day.
And when he took the Infant Jesus into his arms, he saw God's light of salvation. It was his greatest and final blessing on Earth and he move on to the Eternal Light.
And for the 84-year-old prophetess Anna, she proclaimed her final prophecy when she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to God's salvation.
Today's Gospel passage leads us to reflect about the Holy Family and also about our family.
But more than just reflections, the gospel also tells us about God's revelation through the Holy Family.
Through the Holy Family, God revealed His blessings for Simeon and Anna.
Through Simeon, Mary received a revelation of the sword that will pierce her soul.
And through the gospel message, God is revealing His blessings through the family that we belong to.
For parents, God blesses them when they do what the Lord requires of them, just as what Mary and Joseph did for Jesus.
The basic duty of parents is to teach and form the children to love God and to love others.
The duty of children is to honour their parents as God has commanded.
As it is said, a senior in the home is a treasure for the family.
Through this feast of the Holy Family, God has shown us that He reveals His plan through the family.
And through the family, God grants His abundant blessings.
May we see our family as a blessing from God.
May we also see that through our family, God blesses us, and we too are blessing for our family members.
And may our family be God's blessings for the Church and for the world.