family photos
"Get up, take the Child and His mother, and set out." —Matthew 2:20
Many families have photographs of special occasions. Let's open the photo album of the Holy Family. Here's a photo of Jesus placed in a manger after being born in a stable (Lk 2:7). In addition to showing God's love and the Holy Family's poverty, this photo indicates that the Holy Family was rejected, as Mary and Joseph were forced to have their baby in a stable. Families today are also rejected by our culture of death. Moreover, family members even reject one another. When we see Jesus in the manger, let's think not only of rejection, but also let us accept the grace to forgive those who have sinned against us and rejected us.
On the next page of the photo album, we see a photo of the Holy Family's flight to Egypt (Mt 2:13ff). Like the Holy Family, families are an endangered species. Many families don't survive. Only by hearing the Lord and by obeying Him exactly will families be saved and new Herods defeated.
Next we see a photo of the "finding" of Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:46). Families and family members lose Jesus or, more accurately, are lost themselves. They live separated from their Savior, Love, and only Hope. When families seek the Lord, especially through spouses and families praying together, they will find Jesus.
Holy families, forgive rejection, obey humbly, and pray together.
Prayer: Jesus, teach our families to pray together daily.
Promise: "Bear with one another; forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you." —Col 3:13
Praise: Praise to You, risen Lord Jesus! You sanctified families by living for thirty years in the Holy Family. "Give to the Lord, you families...give to the Lord glory and praise; give to the Lord the glory due His name!" (Ps 96:7-8)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, May 30, 2001
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 4, 2001