THE Holy Family

     The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is the model for all families.  The Gospels do not reveal much about their family life.  I believe that is because their family life was ordinary.  Their focus was taking care of one another and their neighbors for and with the love of God.  I look to them for constant help in my family life.

    
      In our daily living of marriage and family life, I am sure that it is the precious gift of our Blessed Mother, given to us by Jesus at the cross, that helps to bring Jesus into our life.  The closer my husband and I get to Jesus, the closer we get to one another.  Mary is the holy vessel that God used to bring Jesus into human life.  In addition, Mary and Joseph knew what it was like to lose Jesus when at the age of 12, Jesus was found teaching in the temple after being sought by His parents for three days. And then, at the wedding feast at Cana, Blessed Mother sees there is no wine left.  No where in scripture does it say that she was put in charge of making sure that all the guests were served enough food and wine.  But, when she saw that they were out of wine, she went directly to Jesus.  I believe that like a good Mother, she is watching over every family and when she sees that we have run out of love, she runs to Jesus and asks Him to provide more. 

     "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7)  Because I did not know that it was more Jesus that I needed, I did not ask God for it.  But Blessed Mother knows and she asks Jesus for us, even if we don't put her in charge.  Then she tells us the same thing she told the servers at the wedding feast, "Do whatever he tells you." (John 2:5)  Jesus had the servers fill the stone water jars with water.  Our bodies are made up of mostly water.  Just as Jesus turned the water in the jars into good wine, Jesus will turn what flows through us into the good wine of compassion if we do what He tells us.  "This I command you:  love one another."  (John 15:17)  

     Jesus lived the commandment to honor your father and mother.  We imitate Him when we honor our parents, and His.  Most non-Catholics do not understand the high place of honor the Catholic Church gives to Blessed Mother. We do not adore her, as if she is God.  We honor her because she is the mother of God, and she was given to us by Jesus to honor her.  Whenever I call on Blessed Mother, I honor her, and it gives glory to God. Jesus is the fruit of her womb and the mother of love.  Whenever I look to St. Joseph as Jesus did as a child, I honor his faithfulness as Jesus' foster father, and it gives glory to God.  Jesus gave everything for us, and that includes Mary and Joseph. I am ever grateful to God for the presence of the Holy Family in our marriage and family life.

     The month of May is dedicated to our Blessed Mother in the Catholic Church.  The first day of May is devoted to St. Joseph under his title of "The Worker."  May all of us work hard at being ordinary by taking care of one another and our neighbors for and with the love of God.  Jesus provides everything we need.