In addition to cultivating positive actions, the Church understands that various actions and behaviors are contrary to Gods Divine plan for the family, and these should be avoided. King Herod the Great, a non-Jew who could only conceive of Christs Davidic kingship as threatening his own, sought to put the Child to death. to him. Other than the fact of living there, both Matthew and Luke are silent on any details of His childhood. On the Feast of the Holy Family, it comes spontaneously to think of all families and the role of parents called to cultivate and care for (cf. Roodmas (from Old English rood "rod", "cross" and mas, Mass; similar to the etymology of Christmas ), is a name for the celebration of the Feast of the Cross. But we need to listen to the Spirit who speaks in us. [9] In the General Roman Calendar of 1969 the Feast of the Holy Family outranks the various saints whose feastdays fall during the Octave of Christmas, namely Saint Stephen, Saint John the Apostle and the Holy Innocents, in a departure from the General Roman Calendar of 1954. The Vaticans Directory on popular piety and the liturgy provides a few suggestions on how families can celebrate this feast. The total sacrifice, whereby Joseph surrendered his whole existence to the demands of the Messiah's coming into his home, becomes understandable only in the light of his profound interior life. Feast of the Holy Family: O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity, and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards. The inner principle of that task, its permanent power and its final goal is love: without love the family is not a community of persons and, in the same way, without love the family cannot live, grow and perfect itself as a community of persons. Thus, IHS represents the first three letters of Jesus. Other Titles: Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), December 30, 2022
God chose to enter human history through a family. - St. John Paul II. It may be that both possibilities are true, providentially justifying what was said of Jesus, Matthew 2:23 And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene.". In the end, only the Cross will fully reveal everything regarding who Jesus is, the Son of God. [2] For those communities keeping the General Roman Calendar of 1960 or the General Roman Calendar of 1954, the Feast is kept on the Sunday after Epiphany Day, which occurs on January 6. It's observed on the Sunday after Christmas, or if Christmas falls on a Sunday, then it's observed on December 30th instead. In the New Testament, Joseph is the husband of Mary and foster-father of Jesus. The Feast Of The Holy Family is celebrated in several waysboth in the Catholic Church and among individual parishioners. The solemn eucharistic procession, in a float in the shape of a dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit concluded with solemn blessing with the most Holy eucharist . Numbers 6:1-21). Amen. On the Feast of the Holy Family we offer all the members of our own families on the altar for God's blessing. In convents and monasteries the youngest nuns and monks were allowed to act as abbess and abbot for the day. It has been applied to both historical commemoration on May 3 and, September 14. Helping mother in the kitchen and in the house work, and helping father in his odd jobs about the home thus take on a new significance by being performed in a Christ-like spirit." Above all creatures did God so love her that truly in her was the Father well-pleased with singular delight. Dear brothers and sisters, let us look to the Holy Family of Nazareth as an example for all Christian and human families. - St. John Paul II. To you, we recommend all our families, so they might be renewed in this wonder of grace. Various non-canonical works, including the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, try to fill in the blanks. What would Jesus, Mary, and Joseph do? You might try a Lebanese meal. Help them to be obedient and devoted to their parents. When not celebrated on a Sunday, it is not a holy day of obligation. Pope St. John Paul II writes. In the early centuries of the Church, once Christmas began to be celebrated as its own feast on December 25 (having originally been celebrated with the Feast of the Epiphany, on January 6), the Octave (eighth day) of Christmas, January 1, took on a special meaning. In the family of Nazareth, our families, as well as the human family, can learn to allow ourselves to be guided by Gods powerful hand. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. Everything becomes a place to encounter or reject Gods presence. All we know from Sacred Scripture is that he died in between the time that Jesus was twelve and when Jesus started His public ministry at age 30. | Irondale, AL 35210 |. During the 15th and 16th centuries, artists became fascinated by the Holy Family as a subject. In Our Lords time it may have been populated by craftsmen employed in Roman construction in nearby Sepphoris. Its a day on which people can think about how they can strengthen communication between all family members and how to heal past wounds. Some Christians also work through various charitable organizations to help families in need. Joseph is Jacobs youngest and favorite son. 08DEC2020-08DEC2021 = Year of Saint Joseph. In 1921, Pope Benedict XV made it part of the General Roman Calendar and set on the Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany (cf. The slain children were regarded by the early church as the first martyrs, but it is uncertain when the day was first kept as a saints day. It is unknown the age that St. Joseph was when Jesus was born. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Omissions? Have the whole family participate in cooking dinner. The feast of the Holy Family typically lands on the Sunday after December 25, but in some cases is celebrated on December 30. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Devotion to the Holy Family is a recent development, but one that naturally grows out of a love for Jesus and his family. Up until 1969, the Holy Family feast was kept on the first Sunday after the Epiphany. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Never realized that this is what we celebrate on my birthday. Christian marriage and the Christian family build up the Church: for in the family the human person is not only brought into being and progressively introduced by means of education into the human community, but by means of the rebirth of baptism and education in the faith the child is also introduced into God's family, which is the Church. However, even though these apocryphal works may contain some truth from oral tradition, they have been deemed unworthy of canonical status because of the way they present Jesus. The primary purpose of the Church in instituting and promoting this feast is to present the Holy Family as the model and exemplar of all Christian families. [14] A Holy Family by Giulio Romano is in the Prado, with another at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California.[15]. Jesus even follows in Josephs footsteps by becoming a carpenter. Yes, in the Jewish system of arranged marriages and rabbinical law they were betrothed, and while the woman did not move into the home of her husband for a time, any child that was conceived was his. The Holy Family of Francis I, by Raphael (and assistants), 1518, Holy Family with the Family of St John the Baptist, c. 1536, Lorenzo Lotto, Louvre, El Greco, 1595, one of a number of versions. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Omissions? FAMILY,,,,,,, Thus may each celebration of the Holy Eucharist which . Directory on popular piety and the liturgy, Why work is the easiest way to imitate the Holy Family. It is this familiarity that made them capable of recognizing the Lord when He came. (His feast day is March 19th!) Luke concludes with the return to Nazareth, adding only one further detail, Jesus remaining in the Temple when He was 12 years old. The first fact that emerges from the Biblical texts for this Feast is that a child is a gift from God. We are unsure about Marys exact age, but most Bible scholars believe that in keeping with Jewish practice of the day she may have been as young as 14 or 15. This was the basis for Josephs doubts. They were holy because they placed God at the center of their family life, they loved and sacrificed for one another, and they radiated that love to others in the redemptive mission of the Word Incarnate. Jesus next appears as 30 years of age at His baptism by St. John (Mt. Corrections? ALL. Other Titles: Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), December 26, 2021
In the Church we speak of each other as brothers and sisters, though our kinship is spiritual, not natural. In 2023, Chicago's parade fell on the Saturday before (March 11), whereas New York City's parade is the day after (March 18). Jesus, Mary and Joseph to you, the Holy Family of Nazareth, today, we turn our gaze with admiration and confidence. Amen. Shop: Roman Catholic "RC" Brand Original Black Logo Collection Embroidered Beanie - White | Multiple colors available! The Feast of the Holy Family is not just about the Holy Family, but about our own families too. In the 15th century confraternities dedicated to Joseph were part of revived devotional interest, who is now at least awake, and often shown taking an active role in parenting. The primary purpose of the Church in instituting and promoting this feast is to present the Holy Family as the model and exemplar of all Christian families. Matthew 2:13-15 tells us, Now when [the wise men] had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him. And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. There, they can rediscover new possibilities of starting over. Today the Church celebrates the Feast on the Sunday between Christmas and New Years Day (Known as the Feast of Mary Mother of God in the Catholic Church). WAY. Alternate titles: Childermas, Innocents Day. Other scholars, pointing to Isaiahs use of a similar word, netzer, meaning branch, connect it with the house of Jesse and the Davidic kingship of Jesus. The Holy Family would have spent four years in Egypt if they did not return from there until after the death of Herod, in 4 B.C.E. The Holy Cross Sisters are dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Holy Cross Brothers to Saint Joseph, and the Priests of Holy Cross to the Sacred Heart. In chapter 2 he tells of the visit of the Magi, King Herods pursuit of the Child and the flight into Egypt. The episode parallels Exodus 4:19,. 139:13-15 You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mothers womb), helping them to grow and mature. The feast of The Holy Family is a day on which Catholics worldwide celebrate Jesus's earthly family-The Divine Son of God Jesus, his mother the Virgin Mary, and his foster-father Joseph. In other words, Joseph helped shape the earthly life for Our Lord during His childhood and young adulthood. ", "The Holy Family", The J. Paul Getty Museum, "Cathedral of the Holy Family of Nazareth", Remarks of Benedict XVI on the Feast of the Holy Family, Pope Francis. The slain children were regarded by the early church as the . Feast of the Holy FamilyDay SixToday is the feast day of the Holy Family, but also every family's feast day, since the Holy Family is the patron and model of all Christian families. The Church celebrates this Feast on the Sunday occurring between the Nativity of the Lord (December 25th) and Mary, Mother of God (January 1st). Some scholars have speculated that he was an older man who was a widower. It was the moment God chose to show the extent of his love for men, by giving us his own Son. Today, the Holy Spirit still continues to guide all peoples, all couples, all parents. At first, it was celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany. FOR,,,PEACE. Defender of Christ, pray for us. It is a way that still deserves to be trusted and undertaken after the example and through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth itself. In you, we contemplate the beauty of communion in true love. thanks. In the Old Testament, Jacob, whom the Lord calls Israel, has twelves sons, who will become the leaders of the twelve tribes. All rights reserved. Dear Catholic Online Community and Catholic Online School students. "Homily on the Feast of the Holy Family", Vatican Radio, December 27, 2015, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Holy_Family&oldid=1144459941, This page was last edited on 13 March 2023, at 22:00. We see this in the First Reading that narrates the birth of the prophet Samuel. EARTH !!! Finally, we can use this feast to ask ourselves what are we doing to promote the family within our own cultures, neighborhoods, and communities. Although major feast days dedicated to each member of the Holy Family Jesus, Mary, and Joseph also exist, the Feast of the Holy Family commemorates their life together, and the celebration focuses on religious family life. Ramadan coincides with the lunar calendar, so the dates it is celebrated vary each year. Devotion to the Holy Family became more popular during the 15th century, and they appeared prominently in works of art during this period of time. If it is true on the one hand that in many situations people feel like refugees, strangers in their own homes, or in the heart of a dear one, it is also true that every obstacle, every difficulty can be transformed into an opportunity to depart, an opportunity for a journey toward conversion which alone can lead to serenity, peace, stability. Each generation was named after the father. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. They knew how to read everything in the light of the Word on which they meditated day and night, and they knew how to go beyond evidence. Finally, let us learn a lesson of work. Roman Catholics will observe Monday, Sept. 12, the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary, in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of the Messiah, and the mother of all mankind. In Greek the letter we represent as e is not the short e of Greek or English, but the h (eta), a longer e sound. Lorenzo Lotto also painted the subject several times, tending to add angels and saints from later periods, to produce versions of a sacra conversazione. The Holy Family, made up of the Christ Child, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph . The lesson to be learned is both practical and theoretical, in that the children must learn how to obey and to love their parents in thought, word and action, just as Christ was obedient to Mary and Joseph. This is called the domestic church or the church in miniature. St. John Chrysostom urged all Christians to make each home a family church, and in doing so, we sanctify the family unit. 30: Rama Navami Hindu He was capable of strenuous travel (trip to Bethlehem and flight to Egypt), as well as able to perform the difficult work of a carpenter. the Holy Family is the icon of the domestic Church, called to pray together. Pope Benedict XVI. Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reachmore than 20 million unique users per month! O Holy Family, pray for our human and spiritual families. " often flanked by two Christian crosses at the top of letters, cards, documents and personal notes as a reference to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as the Holy Family. US. The general breakdown of the family, however, at the end of the past century and at the beginning of our own, prompted the popes, especially the far-sighted Leo XIII, to promote the observance of this feast with the hope that it might instill into Christian families something of the faithful love and the devoted attachment that characterize the family of Nazareth. St. Joseph, pray for us. In her liturgy the Church hurries over this period of Christ's life with equal brevity. Recollection and prayer, mutual understanding and respect, personal discipline and community asceticism and a spirit of sacrifice, work and solidarity are typical features that make the family of Nazareth a model for every home. The feast of St. Stephen, protomartyr, which is ordinarily celebrated today, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. During the 1490s, veneration of the Holy Family gained in popularity and it became a central focus for many works of art of the time. In his apostolic exhortation on St. Joseph, Custodian of the Redeemer (Redemptoris Custos), Pope St. John Paul II, citing Pope St. Paul VI, represents this theological trend, assuming a young virginal man fully dedicated to God and the mission given to him, stating, 26. Here we admire, put into practice, the divine plan to make the family an intimate community of life and love; here we learn that every Christian family is called to be a small "domestic church" that must shine with the Gospel virtues. It teaches us about Jesus, Mary, and Joseph- and about each one of us and our own families. LIVE,,,,, Since that moment Christians have known that, with Gods grace, they can and should sanctify everything that is good in their human lives. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him. Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. Protector of virgins, pray for us. The Feast of the Holy Family celebrates the human family unit, as well as the ultimate family unit: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Amen. Michelangelo's tempera rendition (c. 1506) hangs in the Uffizi in Florence, Italy. However, in some years these feasts occur on Sundays themselves, in which case the Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on December 30th. When is the Feast of the Holy Family celebrated? Some apocryphal writings tell fantastic stories of Jesus childhood, especially miracles He is alleged to have done. He was unmarried, and Jewish men were encouraged to marry young, such as 18, women even earlier. Ways to do this include: reading scripture regularly, praying daily, attending Mass at least on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, imitating the actions of the Holy Family, and so forth, all done together as a family unit. 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