Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection December 29, 2024
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
29th December 2024 (Sunday)
Psalter: Proper
Reading of the Day
First Reading: 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
In those days Hannah conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him. The next time her husband Elkanah was going up with the rest of his household to offer the customary sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vows, Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband, “Once the child is weaned, I will take him to appear before the LORD and to remain there forever; I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite.” Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh. After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull, Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said: “Pardon, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.” Hannah left Samuel there.
Psalm 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10 (R. 5a)
R/. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. And so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel : Luke 2:41-52
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 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. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favour before God and man.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Guidelines: Love that is born from heaven needs to be nurtured and fostered in a family. The health of an individual and society itself depends on the quality of a family
1. Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, the family of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. It comes during the Christmas Octave between Christmas and the New Year. It is usually the immediate Sunday after Christmas.
2. This placement is very significative. The Saviour born is part of a family. God lives in the family and family becomes the abode of the Lord. The family is that nucleus, that locus, that ambience that shelters, sustains, nurtures, and grows God. It is this family that gives the identity to Jesus. It is where the Incarnate Saviour is loved and cared for.
3. The Holy Family is the model and guide for every family. Every family must be a sacred abode where God lives. Every family must become a point of reference and a sign of the identity of God. Every family must love, care for, nurture, and foster God.
4. For our practical reflection, we can think of 4 pillars on which the edifice of the Holy Family was built. They are namely: Communion, Compassion, Cooperation, and Commitment. It is precisely these which are most lacking in most families.
5. There was deep communion between Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. They were one in heart and spirit. They were knit together by the sense of oneness – belonging to one God, to each other, adhering to one holy will of God. It is this spiritual communion with God and fraternal communion with each other that bound them together always and guided them all through.
6. In contrast, how thin and brittle is the thread of oneness and unity in modern families! Alas, some families behave as if they are aliens and strangers, so separated and divided, living under the same roof, but so aloof and distant from each other!
7. There was genuine and profound compassion reigning in the Holy Family. They had concern, attention, and care for each other. They nurtured deep respect for each other. Every thought, word, and action was truly permeated by a profound sensitivity and tenderness for the other. They felt for each other. They experienced the struggle of the other as their own. They always guarded themselves against anything that is offensive and hurting. They had a keen sense of appreciation and encouragement toward each other.
8. In contrast, how less is the spirit of compassion in many modern families! What a height of resentment, hostility, and apathy, as if they are enemies and rivals to each other! What indifference and insensitivity as if they are strangers to each other! Often, there isn’t even a single word of comfort and consolation, appreciation, and encouragement. Instead, often there are deliberate attacks of troubling, annoying, aggression, insults and humiliation, discouragement, and despising.
9. In the Holy Family, their communion and compassion led them to authentic and constant cooperation with each other. In fact, real cooperation means not only doing the same work, but much more working together in the same spirit, with one focus and zeal. They shared their struggles, they shared their duties and responsibilities. They worked together for one and the same will of God, for one and the same family.
10. In contrast, how less is the spirit of cooperation in many families! The way some families fight and block and damage each other’s work gives the impression whether they forget that they are one family and must work for one family, to guard it, build it, and foster it. Whether they are trying to save and construct the family or destroy it, we must wonder.
11. And in some families, forget about cooperation; at least even the minimum communication is not there. There are families where you can count the number of words that the members speak to each other. How can there be communion, compassion, and cooperation where there is no communication? Many speak hours and volumes with others outside the family, but they cannot speak at least a few alphabets with their own family members.
12. There was perfect commitment to each other in the Holy Family. Each was ready to struggle and sacrifice for the sake of the other. The good and the happiness of the other was the main concern of each of them.
Practice: The spirit of the human family based on hearty communion is the foundation for the spiritual family. One who is a family person can easily be a loving and effective member of the spiritual family as well
