One Day at a Time
It is a little weird knowing this will be published on Christmas day. When Christmas falls on Saturday, the Feast of the Holy Family begins on Christmas Day with the vigil mass. How very appropriate that is. The family of Jesus did not start their journey with His birth. They started it with the proclamation of an angel. It ended on Calvary.
The story and the feast of the Holy Family give witness to what we are called to be. That call is not just to the family we are born into or give birth to; it is to the Family of God. We are called to be one family, one people here every day.
We take inspiration from the love we see in the family of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus for our own families. God is a central and driving force when we raise families and live out our own families’ life and death cycle. It is essential to listen for the “Yes” that God asks of us. That will take as much courage as it did for both Mary and Joseph. Mary said yes to Jesus’ birthing, and Joseph said yes to being the Holy Family’s protector. He literally stood guard over His family, protecting Mary from stoning and his young family from the wrath of Herod. There are necessary learnings here. But we cheat the Feast of the Holy Family if we leave it there.
The Feast of the Holy Family is not only a niche in history that we remember with love and gratitude. It is not only an inspiration for parents and families throughout the centuries. It is an absolute command for us today. We are called no less profoundly than Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were to be a Holy Family. We are called to be the Holy Family of God on earth.
Our Church is called to witness what it means to be the Holy Family of God through our actions. It is easy to walk away to our Christmas celebrations and leave the Holy Family in the darkened Church and history. But, if we do that, we cheat them, ourselves, and God.
There is no more critical time in history for us to embrace the call God is giving us and say “Yes.” Yes! I will be a person who does not judge. Yes! I will embrace those who suffer physical poverty, emotional distress, and mental illness. Yes! I will welcome those who differ, those I do not understand, and those who fry my last nerve. Yes! I will be a gentle smile, kind eyes, a welcoming word, and a gracious heart when I meet others on the journey of life.
It is no small thing we are called to be when we are called to emulate the Holy Family. Perhaps we can take a lesson from those who struggle with addiction. We can do it if we do it one day at a time.
Let’s not talk about changing the world because that is both paralyzing and a cop-out. It is too big to handle, so we give up. But it isn’t too much to put our feet on the floor in the morning and say, “Today, I am going to be the person God has called me to be. I am going to consciously monitor my attitudes and responses. I am going to love as God has called me to love. I am going to put away my judgments and my anger.” It is not about yesterday or tomorrow. Can I live it just today?
We become the Holy Family God intended us to be one day at a time. We change and grow individually and as God’s people one day at a time. One day at a time, we will conquer our personal sinfulness. One day at a time, we will build the Kingdom of God.
May God grant us the strength of will today to say “yes!” to His call to live as members of His Family.
In God’s Unfailing Love,
Gwen
