Trending
February is the month of the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This tradition has its beginnings in the 17th century. So, I thought we could look at family love and what a holy family can look like in today's world.
Of course, we can look to the Holy Family as the epitome of virtue. What are some of the practices they embraced that we could use today to construct healthy, happy, and holy lives? The first way that comes to mind is prayer. We can be certain that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, as a devout Jewish family, prayed the Psalms (Tephillah) three times daily. Joseph, and Jesus upon adulthood, would be obligated to pray the Shema, a profession of faith, twice daily. In our busy world, we can easily forget or overlook the importance of praying as a family.
But praying doesn't have to be an involved, burdensome task. Praying before meals, a quick blessing before leaving the house in the morning, speaking with loved ones when on a car ride, and the classic bedtime prayers can all be simple ways to add family prayer into our lives. As Fr. Patrick Peyton (quoting Al Scalpone) said, "A family that prays together stays together."
Consider attending Sunday service as a family. God did not create the Sabbath because He needed to rest or to worship Himself. It is a sacred gift for us because He knows how much we need it. It fulfills one of the Ten Commandments. How blessed is a family who worships the Lord together!
A second way the Holy Family fostered familial love was in working together. We know that Jesus was a carpenter like his father. They must have worked many days and hours side by side, St. Joseph teaching Jesus. Can you imagine the hours they spent together with tools in hand? I am sure there were times of silence. But they certainly also used the time to talk about family life, work, relationships, faith, and even laughed together.
Speaking of laughing together, the Holy Family also had times of play and leisure. As humans, we need to play for connection, creativity, and rejuvenation. Today, with so many devices and activities, we can be in the same "location." But are we connecting? Playing together as a family creates bonds that last a lifetime. There are many options: puzzles, board games, hikes, family vacations, a movie night, or going to the park. Be creative! The opportunities and ideas are only limited by your imagination or ability to search ideas on the internet.
My final suggestion is to show affection for each other. I know this can be uncomfortable for some. Sandi Schwartz wrote "How A Parent's Affection Shapes A Child's Happiness." She states: "In 2015, a study out of the University of Notre Dame showed that children who receive affection from their parents were happier as adults.
More than 600 adults were surveyed about how they were raised, including how much physical affection they had. The adults who reported receiving more affection in childhood displayed less depression and anxiety and were more compassionate overall. Those who reported less affection struggled with mental health, tended to be more upset in social situations, and were less able to relate to other people's perspectives" (spsp.org).
Now, let's go be holy families.
Tiffany Haller, director of Faith Formation, St. Ann Church, Williamsport