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366 Watchogue Rd.
Staten Island, NY 10314
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PASTORAL
MESSAGE ON THE HOLY FAMILY
By Fr. Patrick Nsionu
Dec. 31st 2000
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 The Sunday
after Christmas is the solemnity of the
Holy family. The Holy Family in the strict
sense is the family of Jesus, Mary and
Joseph. But in a wider sense, it is the
extended family of all the children of
God, which we belong to by virtue of our
Baptism. “You must see what great love
the Father has lavished on us by letting
us be called God’s children. And that is
what we are” (1 Jn. 3:1). So we are
celebrating today both the gift of
belonging to the universal family of God,
and the unique gift of our own families
which ought to be modeled on the Holy
Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. |
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| Our
parish is blessed to be named after the
Holy Family. In this parish we have the
added advantage of modeling our lives and
activities to that of the real Holy
Family. In the Word today, we are asked to
do two things: “keep God’s
commandment, and love one another.”
These will help us to remain good members
of our individual families, as well as the
extended Holy Family. |
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| There
is always the business of give and take in
a happy family. The Gospel today
highlighted this when Jesus decided to “get
lost” at the age of 12. When the parents
finally found him after three days of
stressful, anxiety-filled search, they
allowed themselves to listen to one
another. The result was a harmonious,
happy reunion and respect for one another’s
opinion. But the interesting thing was
that, as a very good family full of love
and respect for each other, they were able
to turn what would have been a hell
screaming argument into a haven of
respectful discussion. Here one cannot but
see the obvious difference between having
a discussion and engaging in argument.
Hence, after listening to each other, “Jesus
(in obedience) went down with them and
came to Nazareth and lived under their
authority . . .” (Lk. 2:51). |
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| LESSONS
OR RESOLUTIONS: |
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- “Honor your
father and your mother, as the Lord
your God has commanded you, so that
you may have long life and may prosper
in the land (country) which the Lord
your God is giving you” (Deut.
5:16).
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- “Children, be
obedient to your parents always
because that is what will please the
Lord” (Col. 3:20).
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- “Children, be
obedient to your parents in the Lord
– that is what uprightness demands.
The first commandment that has a
promise attached to it is: Honor your
father and your mother, and the
promise is: so that you may have long
life and prosper in the land (Eph.
6:1-3). “And parents never drive
your children to resentment but bring
them up with correction and advice
inspired by the Lord” (Eph.
6:4). Parents, do not irritate
your children or they will lose heart”
(Col.3:21).
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- Now for the WIVES
& HUSBANDS: Use the
Powerful, Positive Spirit Always in
your Family.
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- Ephesians 5:22
says to "Wives, submit yourselves
unto your own husbands, as unto the
Lord."
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| I
know that this is a very controversial
verse which many women, especially, in the
Western society and culture, will like to
see revised, reworded or even removed from
the Bible. Understand that this verse is
speaking to wives, not women, and it
specifically instructs wives to submit,
not to men, but to their own husbands.
This does not mean slavish submission but
mutual respect and service in love, guided
by the spirit of truth, faithfulness and
readiness to make some sacrifices. This is
a give-and-take admonition. |
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| For
those husbands and men who mistake this
verse as a license to dictate and dominate
their wives, you better read and reflect
deeply on the verse, “Be subject to one
another out of reverence for Christ”
(Eph.5:1). “Husbands should love their
wives, just as Christ loved the Church and
sacrificed Himself for her . . .” (Eph.
5:25) “In the same way, husbands must
love their own wives as they love their
own bodies; for a man to love his wife is
for him to love himself. A man never hates
his own body but feeds it and looks after
it; and that is the way Christ treats his
body . . .” (Eph. 5:28-33). |
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| This
is the beginning of the New Year, 2001.
Many even consider 2001 the actual
beginning of the third millennium. Have
you made up your mind about your New Year
Resolution? Whatever you decide at last,
keep it simple, keep it real, and keep it
in the family. |
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“THE
FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER.” |
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Have a
wonderful and Blessed New Year!!! |
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~*~*~*~*HOME*~*~*~*~
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