Daily Gospel
READING OF THE DAY
A reading from the Book of Sirach
Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
My son, take care of your father when he is old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 2:13-15, 19-23
When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.
When Herod had died, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream
to Joseph in Egypt and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel,
for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
He rose, took the child and his mother,
and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
in place of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go back there.
And because he had been warned in a dream,
he departed for the region of Galilee.
He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth,
so that what had been spoken through the prophets
might be fulfilled,
He shall be called a Nazorean.
Friday the Sixth Day of the Octave of Christmas
Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
(Mt 2:13-15.19-23)
God’s Word for Us
Dear People of God,
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family. The Word of God today speaks of the Holy Family as a model family for all humanity and all other families to follow in family life. The Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph are models with their obedience to God the Father and a life of living according to God’s instructions.
In the image of Saint Joseph: When the angel commanded Saint Joseph in the middle of the night: Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt to avoid the persecution of King Herod, to avoid the destruction of the Divine work of salvation. How did Joseph do the will of God? Saint Joseph is the foster father of Jesus; he is the righteous one chosen by God the Father for a place in His Divine Plan.
To do this, Saint Joseph was always faithful and obedient to the will of God the Father in all places and at all times. He did not back down from the works that God the Father instructed even though it was night and the wind was cold. Despite facing difficulties and trials, Saint Joseph still had the determination to obey and faithfully do the will of God the Father, to fulfill the duty that God the Father had given him. Saint Joseph had to flee because of the persecution of the earthly King Herod. Not only once, but he also faced many other trials and difficulties. In all things, Saint Joseph relied on the strength and power of God and trusted in His providence.
The Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph collaborated in the Divine Plan of Salvation of God, namely through obedience, which means: “Do what God says!” and through faith, absolute trust in God. So when facing challenges and difficulties, Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary overcame these obstacles.
God let all mankind know that: The model of the Holy Family is the most absolute model, which God invites all mankind to follow. For they did exactly what God commanded, and, it is only by following the Word of God that man will have eternal life and be happy in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Remember the image of Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary when the angel announced: Take the Child and flee to Egypt. Despite the difficulties, they were determined to obey the commandments, so that God’s Divine Work of Salvation was accomplished. A loving Jesus was on the Cross and He was resurrected. It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that gives eternal life to those who faithfully walk in His ways.
Through the image of the Holy Family, God also invites people to:
- Always cherish your family.
- Be faithful to the promises before God the Father: to be faithful to one husband and one wife. Children must always know to obey and honor parents as God has commanded, for, it is by honoring parents that we show obedience to and fear of God the Father above all things. Parents are images of God’s arrangement, so it is important to cooperate in the Divine work of procreation, to cooperate in the work of creating a peaceful, happy world, according to how God created heaven and earth, all creatures, all things.
Thanks be to God! Amen!
