The following are homilies, photos, multimedia slides and videos you might find useful for your celebration of the Feast of the Holy Family (Year C). This Feast, which usually falls on the Sunday after Christmas, is a liturgical celebration in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family. For more info about the Feast of the Holy Family, please click here.

READINGS

FIRST READING: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 or 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
PSALM: Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
SECOND READING: Colossians 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 or 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
GOSPEL: Lk 2:41-52

HOMILIES

• Fear, Family and Christmas [www.bible.claret.org]
  If we want Christ to be born in our families we should try to give each other the most important gift of all. It does not cost much. It does not need a wrapper. It is the most genuine sign of love. It is to just simply listen to one another from the heart without any defensiveness. It takes time to learn to do this. Just make a start. Read more…
• Did You Not Know that I Must Be in My Father’s House [dailyscripture.net]
  What binds families together? Jesus came to show us the way to the Father’s house in heaven – a way of unconditional love and unity, peace and harmony, trust and submission as members of God’s family. Read more…
• Holy Family: Being a Holy Family [www.st.ignatius.net]
  Perhaps, on Christmas Day more than most other days we sense the Presence of the Lord in our families. Perhaps, on Christmas Day more than most other days we realize that we have been given the gift of being a Holy Family. Perhaps, on Christmas Day more than most other days we realize that the center of the Holy Family is Jesus Christ, whether that Holy Family was Mary and Joseph’s, or whether that Holy Family is your family. Read more…
• Feast of the Holy Family [www.catholicmatters.com]
  Children : your duty in the family is to love, honor and obey your parents. And your model is none other than Jesus of Nazareth who, though he was God, made himself subject to Joseph and Mary. He who was God, has set you an example which you must follow. Your obedience will never be as perfect as his but it can and should be as perfect as you can make it. Be a comfort and a consolation to your parents. Remember always what they have done for you in your infancy when you could not help yourself. Remember what they have done and are still doing for you in order to fit you to take your place in this life and in the next. Read more…

IMAGES

To view and download their full size versions, please click on the images or the names of the artists.

Jesús, la Virgen y San José by Barandalla

The Birth of Jesus by Patrick Q

Holy Family by Anny Purls

A Loving Father by Barandalla

SLIDE PRESENTATION

The following presentation can be downloaded here.

VIDEO

The video below is about uniting people from different cultures and continents. The Feast of the Holy Family presents a challenge for all people to work for peace, wholeness, and unity – to turn the world into one family. The video can be downloaded from this link.

The core message of the video below is that “it is always better when we’re together.” The Feast of the Holy Family is a call for families to grow together in faith and love for God. The video can be downloaded from this link.