Lord, help me to be aware of Your saving grace in all my experiences
THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS : Sunday 31st December 2023
Gen. 15:1-6; 21:1-3; Ps. 104:1-2,3-4,5-6,8-9;
Heb. 11;8,11-12,17-19; Lk. 2:22-40 (Ps. Wk. I)
A strong society takes care of its weakest members. The family is the basic social unit for forming a solid society. The family needs to be promoted and safeguarded, for it is here that the weakest members of any society – children – grow up in a natural environment and are nurtured and strengthened in the human values that give them dignity and greatness.
The institution of marriage, with its family culture, is primarily intended for children. The total self-giving love and fidelity in a couple’s relationship and their mutual respect strengthen the cradle of the newborn.
The Abrahamic model of a natural family founded on an expectant faith in God is still relevant for our times, especially where the high cost of living with financial and work-related stress place a strain on family interactions. Furthermore, the model of the Holy Family, characterised by mutual submission, is an invitation to transcend all boundaries set by blood relationships.
Heavenly Father, restore our human relationships, families and societies so that the warmth of a natural family welcomes every child coming into the world. We humbly implore You to grant Your special graces to our families. May our homes be shrines of peace, purity, love, labour and faith. Amen.
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