God was sitting in heaven one day when a scientist said to him, “God, we don’t need you any more. Science has finally figured out a way to create life out of nothing – in other words, we can now do what you did in the beginning.”

 

“Oh, is that so? Tell me more…” replied God.

 

“Well”, says the scientist, “we can take dirt and form it into the likeness of you and breath life into it, thus creating man.”

 

Well said God, “that’s very interesting… show Me.”

 

So the scientist bends down to the earth and starts to mold the soil into the shape of a man.

 

“No, no, no …” interrupts God, “Get your own dirt.”

 

Well, this is certainly an illustration of our dependence on God, because for us God is the core of our existence, our Father. In our relationship with God, each one of us is a child of our Father – God, called to live in his family. Through the holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, God has given us an example of holiness here on earth.

 

The reality of our existence is that life is not simple - it is down right complex. True, we are in God’s family; but, we have to deal with all that comes with being human beings with our feet firmly planted on the dirt of this earth. Our lives are filled with the trials and tribulations of daily human life.

 

Our family experiences are very broad and may not be as seemly perfect as the holy family of Jesus, Mary, & Joseph. Our families come in many shapes and sizes. We have families with two parents, single parents, multiple stepparents, grandparents and extended families of friends. Regardless of our family situations, we are part of God’s family.

 

Through the example of the holy family of Jesus, Mary, & Joseph, God shows us humanity, coping and love. Showing us that families are truly a cause for celebration. Because within families there are many paths to holiness. With God’s help and despite life’s difficulties, every family can advance in the ways of goodness and holiness. This is the core of the feast of the Holy Family that we celebrate today. An ideal that every family in its own way is a holy family. 

 

Today’s gospel reading is not so much a commentary on married life and family life but living proof of their importance. The holy family is not so much different from our own families. We have disagreements, struggle through life, and search for love. 

 

As we follow the story in the gospel reading of Jesus’ young life with Mary and Joseph, we see a family that follows religious practices and customs. In their day, observant Jewish people were required to go to the temple in Jerusalem three times a year for the feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. So Jesus, Mary & Joseph were very familiar with the travel routine back and forth to Jerusalem. This journey would have taken several days from Jesus’ home in Nazareth. It was not customary to travel alone, extended families consisting of relatives; friends and neighbors would travel together in large groups to the feasts. A real community event.

 

As for this particular journey they were going to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Passover, but as it turned out this journey would be like none they had experienced before. After they had completed their celebration and a day into the return trip home a parent’s worst nightmare started to unfold. Joseph and Mary found that Jesus was missing.

 

In this day and age, it seems unthinkable that Joseph and Mary would leave Jerusalem without knowing where Jesus was. But remember that in those days they traveled with their extended family and friends in large groups. In this context, it should not seem that strange that Joseph and Mary would assume that Jesus was with the group. After all, Jesus was 12, which is 1 year from the customary Jewish age of adulthood.

 

When Joseph and Mary discovered that Jesus was not with the group on the return trip to Nazareth, they immediately returned to Jerusalem to search for him. They must have been in a panic searching all over Jerusalem for the lost boy. But where did they find him? In the temple studying with the teachers who were amazed with Jesus’ understanding and answers. Can’t you just imagine what happened when Jesus’ parents caught up with him? It was a very human reaction of parental concern not to mention a scolding. 

 

As the gospel illustrates, even the holy family is not exempt from trials and difficulties. Difficulties which include misunderstandings and parents bewilderment at the behavior of their children. Misunderstanding causes pain and confusion. Causing you to ask the question: What did I do wrong? But misunderstandings are very much a part of being a human – this can be reassuring when misunderstandings happen in our lives.

 

Although Jesus was a child, he had a calling and a concern that was expressed in a very adult message. What Jesus told his parents might not have been exactly what they had expected. Jesus started to reveal his relationship with his father, not Joseph but God his father and Jesus’ special mission.

 

This feast day is a celebration of family life. A celebration that is a reminder of each person’s need for love and membership in the family of God. When Jesus was asked who his brother or sister was, he said that it is anyone who does the will of God is a member of his family.

 

Being born into a human family, Jesus has blessed every family and made families a pathway to holiness. Holiness is not a special place reserved for deacons, priests or nuns. Because holiness is for all people who are baptized. Through baptism, we have been made into God’s sons and daughters. Families are truly a cause for celebration. Because within our in families we can find many pathways to holiness in how we choose to reflect Christ in our lives. What’s your choice?