A homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, December 26, 2021
Sir 3:2-6, 12-14, Col 3:12-21, Lk 2:41-52
A little girl is watching one of the dozens of rerun channels on TV and asks her parents, “When you were my age, were you in black and white?”
Because, of course, before Adam West appeared IN COLOR twice a week at the same bat-time on the same bat-channel, everything indeed was black and white.
Maybe not visually, but definitely in society.
There were rules.
Do this; don’t do that.
Believe this; don’t believe that.
Like her; hate him.
Fit in.
Conformity was not only the norm, it was the ideal.
Father knew best. You could always leave everything to Beaver.
Answers to every question came in black or white. Yes or no. No grays and definitely no rainbows.
And maybe it seemed OK for a while. People believed that this black-and-white society offered stability and — manufactured — harmony after the one-two punches of World War II and the conflict in Korea. United we stood, with non-white people, non-Christians and just plain weirdos at the back of the line or, far better, nowhere to be seen at all.
But, no: it was not OK. Not then, and decidedly not now.
It’s taken only two millennia, but the ministry of Jesus seems to be taking hold. His ministry to the poor, to the marginalized, to society’s misfits — the people society fails to recognize as children of God, all created in God’s image just like everyone else.
The children of God whom some people claim a right to judge, despite Jesus’s admonition against such foolishness and sinfulness.
We’re finally seeing charity begin at home, and from our homes, justice is squeezing its way into society through laws and enlightened attitudes.
As families continue to evolve, all of humanity is evolving. Finally. Thank God.
Humankind revolves around families, groups of people bound by love and, often, by genetic kinship, but not always.
By love, always.
By other ties, depending on the circumstances.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph — a beautiful model we celebrate on this feast day.
Our families, also beautiful: The so-called traditional family. Blended. Single head of household. Siblings caring for siblings. A communal group. Same-gender. No gender. Whatever.
Wherever there is love, there is family. Wherever there is family, there is God, the source and essence of love. And love is always good and love is always holy.
Yes, love binds people together as a family and makes their house a home, decorated in every color and in every shade of gray.
Love makes that family and that home holy.
