As we heard at the beginning of our liturgy this evening/morning, today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, a day when we look to the family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as a model for our own families. But we also look to them to be the model for our parish, especially as we kick off a very special year for this community: the 50th anniversary of Holy Family. It’s a time to reflect on what it means to be a parish family – a community rooted in faith, in virtue, in service, and in love.

When we look at the Holy Family of Nazareth, it might be easy for us to take a perception of them that is overly romanticized. We might think that everything was perfect, that there were no challenges, that everything went according to plan. But that’s not the case. As we’ve already seen with them in the celebration of this season of Christmas and even in the weeks leading up to Christmas, the Holy Family had their fair share of challenges to overcome. They lived in the real world – caring for their home, working hard, dealing with uncertainty, and navigating misunderstandings. Sound familiar?

The holiness of the Holy Family wasn’t in extraordinary moments…but instead, it was most exemplified in those ordinary moments they experienced together. In the Gospel today, we hear about one of those moments. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph have gone to Jerusalem for the Passover – a regular family tradition, not unlike some of our own family traditions. But this year, something unusual happens. Jesus gets left behind. The interesting part is that, at first, Mary and Joseph don’t even recognize that He is missing. So parents, if you have ever felt inadequate in the role you have in your childrens’ lives, you’re in pretty good company – after all, Mary and Joseph lost the Savior of the world. Now, they did find Him after three anxious days searching, thankfully.

And when they finally did find Jesus, Mary says to Him: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety!” Jesus responds with words that Mary and Joseph don’t fully understand, He even asks why they were looking for Him. Yet, despite that misunderstanding, Jesus goes back to Nazareth with them and “was obedient to them.”

Nazareth is where Jesus spent most of His life – we call that His hidden life. We honestly don’t know much about that time. But we do know that He wasn’t performing miracles, He wasn’t preaching to large crowds of people, He didn’t have a major following. Instead, He was simply living His life as a young man with His family: helping Joseph in the workshop, assisting Mary in household chores, reading the Scriptures, attending synagogue, playing games with other children. This time in Jesus’ life reveals that holiness isn’t just shown in grand gestures done in the name of faith or even in celebrating special occasions. Instead, it’s found in the ordinary tasks of family life – in changing diapers, cooking meals, helping with homework, and forgiving one another when we fall short.

This call to holiness in the ordinary extends beyond our homes…it should also take place right here in our parish family. Just as the Holy Family grew together in love and faith, so too should we as a parish. Over the past 50 years, this parish has been a place where ordinary moments – Sunday Masses, baptisms, weddings, and even coffee and donuts – have been transformed into opportunities for grace.

Think of the countless confessions heard here, where hearts were unburdened and reconciled to God. Consider the children who took their first steps toward the altar to receive Jesus in the Eucharist or the couples who have exchanged vows, beginning their journey of married life together. Even in the quiet moments, like lighting a candle for a loved one or saying a prayer in the pews, grace has been at work, drawing us closer to God and to one another. This parish has been a home where we’ve celebrated joys, carried burdens, and supported each other through the seasons of life. It’s in these ordinary, everyday experiences that God’s love has been poured out, shaping us into a family of faith.

And so an invitation for us as we begin this anniversary year, let’s ask ourselves: How can we continue to grow as a parish family? How can we model our Holy Family after the Holy Family of Nazareth?

First, it takes commitment; we have to show up. Just like Mary and Joseph made their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, we’re called to make the effort to be here – to make sure we are making Sunday Mass a priority in our lives, taking part in parish events, and ensuring our children are brought up in the practice of the faith.

It also means embracing service. Whether it’s volunteering in a ministry or simply welcoming someone new, small acts of kindness that can help build the bonds of family and foster a sense of belonging.

And most importantly, it means praying for our parish. Ask God to bless our community with unity, joy, and the desire to grow in holiness together. Because we cannot walk this road of faith alone. Just as the individual members of the Holy Family of Nazareth needed each other, so too do we.

In our families at home and in our parish family, holiness is found in the little things. It’s in the patience we show, the love we give, and the faith we live out each and every day. So, as we celebrate this Feast of the Holy Family and the beginning of our parish’s 50th anniversary, let’s recommit ourselves to seeking God in the ordinary moments of life. Together, as families and as a parish, we can reflect the holiness of the Holy Family of Nazareth and continue to bring the love of Jesus into the world around us.

Photo: Holy Family, Debby Hudson. Used under Unsplash license.

Readings for Mass: Feast of the Holy Family