Homily of The Holy Family
By Fr Oluwafemi Victor Orilua CSSp
Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14, Colossians 3:12-21, Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
Today, we celebrate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Jospeh, the humble family of Nazareth. The Church of Christ presents this family to us as the model of all Christian homes.
The family is holy not simply because it gave birth to the Saviour of the world, but also because of the personality of the members. The family life of this humble home was never without challenges, but the understanding of the members makes the difference. This solemnity brings us closer to what marriage truly entails. It goes beyond the ceremonies of dance and party, but a life lived in love with a common share in whatever life brings.
The first reading from the book of Sirach tells us that God specially designed family with divine authority and shared responsibilities, built on the respect for the parents through whom He governs the home. This equally calls for care on the parts of the children.
“The Lord honoured the father above the children, and he confirmed the judgement of the mother over her sons. Whoever honours his father atones for sins, and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure.”
Care for parents, especially in their frailty, is not optional. It is a sacred duty. In a world that often celebrates independence at the expense of responsibility, Sirach calls us back to a culture of gratitude, reverence, and compassionate care within the family.
Moreover, the family is a domestic church. It is a place where charity begins. In a society where people lack home training, it takes special grace to be redeemed by any outside system.
However, the church as a bigger home for believers opens up a forum for proper training in love, obedience, sacrifice, forgiveness, and care. Learning from the Holy Family of Jesus Mary and Joseph, we pick up the recipes for what it takes to establish a happy home irrespective of all the pains that accompany it.
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul writes, “…Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” Colossians 3:12-21
Furthermore, the gospel narratives present to us in concrete terms what the Holy Family went through. Jesus’ early life is marked by danger, displacement, and uncertainty. Joseph listens attentively to God and acts decisively to protect his family. Mary trusts God even when the path leads into exile. Their flight into Egypt reminds us that holiness does not exclude suffering. Rather, it teaches us how to navigate trials with faith. Many families today experience fear, migration, insecurity, or instability. The Holy Family stands in solidarity with them.
We see today that family life is often in danger. There are children suffering because of crackdown in their family upbringing. Infidelity and lack of trust is rocking many homes, and some children are given undue protection, which undermines the authority of their parents and thereby impedes their home training without which they can not grow into responsible folks
Therefore, let us turn to the Holy Family of Nazareth. No home is perfect, we know. All we need is to put Jesus at the centre of our home, asking Him to animate all we do with his love. May the love that exists in the Holy Family of Nazareth exist in our homes. Amen.
