The Feast of the Holy Family: Christmas in a Minor Key
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
—and you yourself a sword will pierce—
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
-Luke 2:33-35
Christmas is a time for family. Whether we are spending the holidays with our biological families, religious or parish communities, or our chosen families, Christmas is a season when we come together with those whom we love to celebrate love, especially the mystery of how God’s love became incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth.
The Feast of the Holy Family, which is typically celebrated on the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas, is an invitation to reflect on the humanity of Jesus by recalling the lives and relationships of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This feast was added to the Universal Calendar of the Church in 1921, making it a relatively recent addition to the Church’s liturgical calendar.
Pope Saint Paul VI reflected on the significance of the Holy Family during his historic pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1964: “Nazareth is a kind of school where we may begin to discover what Christ’s life was like and even to understand the Gospel. Here we can observe and ponder the simple appeal of the way God’s Son came to be known, profound yet full of hidden meaning. And gradually we may even learn to imitate him” (Address on Nazareth, January 5, 1964). With this in mind, we see how—in and through Jesus’ hidden life with Mary and Joseph in Nazareth—God has blessed the family, transforming “family” into a symbol and promise of the peace, joy, and love of the Reign of God.
Despite this beautiful vision, however, family life, in all its forms, is far from perfect and requires tireless work. This is one of the reasons that the Church has chosen these words from the Letter to the Colossians as one of the Readings that may be proclaimed on the Feast of the Holy Family: “Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another… over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection” (3:12-13a, 14). Here, we see how this Feast of the Holy Family “raises questions in us about the harmony of the home we’re in now—and what part we play in both its peace and its disturbance… We must ask ourselves if we are learning from one another, caring for one another, becoming more spiritual together as we go. And if not, why not? And what do we intend to do about it, as Jesus did, for the sake of the rest of the world?” (Joan Chittister, O.S.B., The Liturgical Year).
Every family should look to the icon of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Its daily life had its share of burdens and even nightmares, as when they met with Herod’s implacable violence. This last was an experience that, sad to say, continues to afflict the many refugee families who in our day feel rejected and helpless. Like the Magi, our families are invited to contemplate the Child and his Mother, to bow down and worship him (cf. Mt 2:11). Like Mary, they are asked to face their family’s challenges with courage and serenity, in good times and bad, and to keep in their heart the great things which God has done (cf. Lk 2:19, 51). The treasury of Mary’s heart also contains the experiences of every family, which she cherishes. For this reason, she can help us understand the meaning of these experiences and to hear the message God wishes to communicate through the life of our families.
-Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia, no. 30; Image: “Joseph, Mary and the Infant” by Jean Bourdichon (1503-1508)
And this brings us to the “minor key” that the Feast of the Holy Family introduces into the Season of Christmas…
Not all Christmas carols and hymns have the exuberance and unbridled joy of “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” or “Joy to the World.” (Think about the plaintive quality of “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” and “What Child Is This,” not to mention the grief of “The Coventry Carol.”) And yet, even amid the joy of these days, we need the rich diversity of voices, tonalities, and colors these very different songs and carols offer us to fully appreciate the complexity and mystery of these holy days. And so, just as those “darker” Christmas songs remind us of the very real challenges faced by Jesus and his family—including the spectre of the Cross casitng a shadow over the manger—the same holds true for the Feast of the Holy Family, particularly when we consider the gospels that are proclaimed on this feast:
· Cycle A: The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15,19-23)
· Cycle B: The Presentation in the Temple and the Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:22-40)
· Cycle C: The Loss and Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
Each of these texts, in its own way, reveals to us that there is more at stake with this feast and the entire Christmas season than a childish sentimentality or holy card-piety. Rather, this transition into the “minor key” of Christmas reminds us that the work of Christmas is not yet complete. Just as our families—both biological and chosen—remain works in process, the mystery of the Incarnation continues to reveal itself in the hearts of believers and in the world.
And so, on this Feast of the Holy Family, as we continue to offer thanks for the gift of a Child, let us also pray that the grace of these days will continue to form and transform our communities, our families, and our own hearts:
Lord, give us light through the example of your family and guide our feed into the way of peace.
-Benedictus Antiphon from Morning Prayer for the 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.
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. Amen.
-Collect for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
