CHARLOTTE — On the Feast of the Holy Family, Bishop Peter Jugis prayed for “God’s blessing upon all of our families – that God will keep our families strong in faith and united in love.”
During his homily for Mass Dec. 27 at St. Patrick Cathedral, Bishop Jugis reflected on the mystery of the Son of God becoming man and growing up in a family home, choosing to live among us as fully human.
“He truly became one of us in all things but sin and experienced life in a family,” the bishop said. “He’s the Son of God, He rules the entire universe, and yet He decides to submit Himself to the authority of His foster father, St. Joseph, and of His mother, the Blessed Virgin.”
“What a mystery! God became man,” the bishop said, shaking his head in wonder.
The Gospel reading of the day (Luke 2:22-40) also notes that religion was at the center of the Holy Family’s daily life, the bishop continued.
“The Holy Family sets an example for us to imitate: to make sure that religion is the center of our family life also,” he said. “God is first, keeping the family united in His grace and love to provide a strong foundation for the family.”
Praying together with and for each other is important for a wholesome and peaceful family life, he said.
If God is first in the family, then family life exudes the Christian virtues of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, thankfulness, and living together in love and peace – just as St. Paul describes in his letter to the Colossians (Col 3:12-21).
“All of these Christian virtues give a powerful witness to the fact that Christ is present in that family,” he said.
Bishop Jugis concluded, “On this day that we celebrate the Holy Family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph – (and) Jesus deciding to grow to manhood in a family home, just like any of us – let us thank God for the family that He has given to each one of us, and let us all do our part to build up our own family in God’s love so that we may live in peace with one another.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor