Sermon, Feast of the Holy Family

 


                                                            FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY 


Once again, Santa has managed to pull it off. Somehow, he gets it done, all within such a brief timeframe—the timeframe of Christmas Eve. Deliveries are made, far and wide. Imagine all of those houses, those neighborhoods, those towns, all of those regions spread across the country and even the wider world! You wonder if perhaps Santa has cloned himself? If so, then this would seem to explain his ability to be in more than one place at one time. On the other hand, maybe we’re better off not even trying to understand. We’ll just call it a miracle. 


We will see that Jesus knows how to perform miracles. We will be reading about these miracles as the liturgical year unfolds. However, for the moment, we are concentrating upon the subject of his childhood years. Luke tells us something about the twelve year old Jesus traveling to Jerusalem with his family for the observance of Passover (2:41-52). As the caravan returns to Nazareth, they suddenly come to realize that the boy Jesus is nowhere to be found. They are searching, but they can’t find him. There is a reason why they can’t find him. There is a reason why they are unable to locate him within the caravan: he’s back in Jerusalem, discussing theology with the scholars of the temple. It’s all very simple: if he’s in one place (the temple), then you’re not going to find him in the other place (within the caravan). In other words, don’t expect him to be in two places at once. 


Can we characterize this as a limitation? It’s something we can associate with Santa, but not with the person of Jesus? We’ll answer by saying: Hold that thought. For now, the focus has to do with Christmas. We are in the process of celebrating the fact that he has taken on a human form. The plan of salvation needs to be regarded as a work in progress. Yes, Jesus adopts our humanity. What subsequently will happen with this humanity? He takes this humanity to the cross, beyond the cross, and then he takes this humanity all the way up to Heaven—giving us a place where we would not otherwise have a place. 


Nevertheless, prior to ascending, he makes the following promise: I will remain with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). By the power of the Holy Spirit he will become present to us sacramentally. What does this mean? It means we have reached the point where he CAN be present in more than one place at one time. He is present when the words of consecration are offered at the Mass—on the altar where you are worshiping and on altars situated everywhere, all across the world. By approaching the altar and saying “amen,” you find yourself being fortified, at the spiritual level. Now, you can do more than just hear about what’s being prescribed in the Book of Sirach and in Paul's Letter to the Colossians; you can actually live out each of those messages. These readings can be fulfilled through your way of life, your pattern of conduct—not just what’s found in these passages, but what’s found elsewhere within the wider body of scripture. 


You are no doubt thankful for what Santa does on Christmas eve. You have good reason to be thankful and also impressed. By extension, see if you can learn to appreciate more fully what it is that Jesus accomplishes through the mystery of the sacraments. The hope is that you will allow yourself to be thankful–and likewise–suitably impressed. 

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