Feast of the Holy Family by Fr. Gerry Pierse, C.Ss.R.
Once again the Church reminds us of the importance of the family by celebrating
the Feast of the Holy Family on the very first Sunday after Christmas.
If Jesus is to be born today he must be born in the hearts of people. He must be
born especially in the hearts of the members of families if family life, and
society in general, are to be better. The presence of Christ is the presence of
love. Fear drives out love, just as love drives out fear. Unfortunately, all too
often there is violence in families. Husbands are cruel to wives, wives
sometimes are cruel to husbands. Parents are cruel to children, children
sometimes are cruel to parents. Insecurity, another word for fear, is often at
the root of this cruelty. The father may feel his authority is being challenged
or threatened, so he asserts it by being authoritarian, the only way he knows.
Other members react cruelly in defense. One violence leads to another kind of
violence.
Very often we do not have listening in a family because there is fear. There may
be fear of appearing weak, of losing face or authority, or of being refused or
punished. This fear leads one to want to control by threat or violence so that
the other person then becomes afraid. If, on the other hand, there is honest
listening there will be a realization that there is a fearful human being at the
other side. It is very hard, but necessary, for parents to admit their own fears
and weakness to themselves and sometimes to their children. When the other's
fearfulness and human condition is heard sympathetically fear is driven out and
love can come in.
If we want Christ to be born in our families we should try to give each other
the most important gift of all. It does not cost much. It does not need a
wrapper. It is the most genuine sign of love. It is to just simply listen to one
another from the heart without any defensiveness. It takes time to learn to do
this. Just make a start.
Many find that one of the best ways in which to learn to listen and to overcome
fear is through the daily practice of meditating. Just be still and know that
God is there within you and many of your fears will vanish. This will make you a
more sensitive and loving family member.
Source: Sundays into Silence - A Pathway to Life. Copyright © 1998 by Claretian
Publications
See Also:
Sermons, Bible Commentaries and Bible Analyses for the 1st Sunday after Christmas
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