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HOLY FAMILY
Jesus came to Nazareth and was obedient to his parents.
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
The shepherds hastened to Bethlehem, where they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
PENITENTIAL RITE
Dear sisters and brothers, most of us are fortunate to begin and grow up in a family and in a reasonably happy family for that. It is a providential gift of God. Let us thank God for this fortune. In the early Church eucharist was celebrated in house gatherings. Every eucharistic celebration stimulates the growth of the family of God. A happy home is the result of the contribution of each member. What is my contribution to my family? For our selfishness and lack of love, let us be sorry and confess: (Pause.)
I confess to almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault (all strike their breast) in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Glory to God in the highest,/and peace to his people on earth./Lord God, heavenly King,/almighty God and Father,/we worship you,/we give you thanks,/we praise you for your glory./Lord Jesus Christ,/only Son of the Father,/Lord God, Lamb of God,/you take away the sin of the world:/have mercy on us;/you are seated at the right hand of the Father,/receive our prayer./For you alone are the Holy One,/you alone are the Lord,/you alone are the Most High,/Jesus Christ,/with the Holy Spirit,/in the glory of God the Father./Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
Let us pray. Father, help us to live as the holy family, united in respect and love. Bring us to the joy and peace of your eternal home. We ask this…
FIRST READING
(Children who honour their parents will be richly rewarded by God and will be honoured by their children.)
A reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus (3:2-6.12-14)
The Lord honoured the father above the children, and he confirmed the right of the mother over her sons. Whoever honours his father atones for sins, and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure. Whoever honours his father will be gladdened by his own children, and when he prays he will be heard. Whoever glorifies his father will have long life, and whoever obeys the Lord will refresh his mother. O son, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he lives; even if he is lacking in understanding, show forbearance; in all your strength do not despise him. For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and against your sins it will be credited to you.
This is the Word of the Lord
PSALM (127)
O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper. R.
Your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; your children like shoots of the olive, around your table. R.
Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life! R.
SECOND READING
(Love and forgiveness guarantee peace in the family.)
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians (3:12-21)
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
This is the Word of the Lord
ACCLAMATION (Acts 16:14)
Alleluia, alleluia! May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts; let the message of Christ find a home with you. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
(Obedience to the Father keeps Jesus in the temple while his obedience to Mary and Joseph brings him to Nazareth.)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to St Luke (2:41-52)
The parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him,they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously." And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?" And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man.
This is the Gospel of the Lord
I believe in God,/the Father Almighty,/ Creator of heaven and earth./ I believe in Jesus Christ,/his only Son, our Lord./ He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit/and born of the Virgin Mary./He suffered under Pontius Pilate,/was crucified, died, and was buried./He descended to the dead./On the third day he rose again./He ascended into Heaven,/and is seated at the right hand of the Father./He will come again to judge the living and the dead./I believe in the Holy Spirit,/the Holy Catholic Church,/the communion of saints,/the forgiveness of sins,/the resurrection of the body,/and the life everlasting./Amen.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Cel: Dear brothers and sisters, God the Father is the source and sustainer of every family. Let us bring to him all our needs and ask his blessings on our families. Our response: Loving Father, bless our homes.
1. Let us pray for the Church, the family of believers: may each member of the Church experience love and care. R.
2. For all families, especially those in our parish that they may practise love and forgiveness. R.
3. We lift up to you the broken families: may compassion, understanding and prayer bring them closer. R.
4. May the homeless and the orphans experience through kind persons the comfort of secure shelter and the warmth of belonging, let us pray to the Lord. R.
(Pause to pray for other intentions.)
Cel: Father of the human family, hear our prayers and help us to live the values of peace and love so that there may be only one family under your fatherly care. We ask this…
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
Lord, accept this sacrifice and through the prayers of Mary, the virgin Mother of God, and of her husband, Joseph, unite our families in peace and love. We ask this…
Preface (P 5)
Cel: Father, all powerful and ever living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord .
Today in him a new light has dawned upon the world: God has become one with man, and man has become one again with God.
Your eternal Word has taken upon himself our human weakness giving our mortal nature immortal value. So marvellous is this oneness between God and man that in Christ man restores to man the gift of everlasting life.
In our joy we sing to your glory with all the choirs of angels.
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Our God has appeared on earth, and lived among men.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Eternal Father, we want to live as Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, in peace with you and one another. May this communion strengthen us to face the troubles of life. We ask this…
LITURGY AND LIFE
When family values are disregarded, society crumbles. Why? When families, the basic units of society are broken, society disintegrates. Without a sound family system no civilization can survive.
Selfishness undermines homes as surely as anything else.
Today many parents have little time for their children. Perhaps they are busy in providing ‘good things’ for their children. But they forget to provide the best things: love and care. Starved of love at home, children look for it elsewhere and end up with some spurious stuff, which leave them both dissatisfied and disillusioned. In such a situation, love and respect (first reading) is almost impossible to come by.
Everyone concerned must search for and do the will of God. We cannot keep God away for long time and hope to build a happy home. The Holy Family of Nazareth is a model for this. Dante wrote: "In Your will is our peace."
December 2003
CALENDAR
Psalter week 1
29/Mon (W) 1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 95; Lk 2:22-35
30/Tue (W) 1 Jn 2:12-17; Ps 95; Lk 2:36-40
31/Wed (W) 1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 95; Jn 1:1-18
January
1/Thu (W) MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
Num 6:22-27; Ps 66; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2:16-21
2/Fri (W) Sts Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen
1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 97; Jn 1:19-28
3/Sat (W) Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara 1 Jn 2:29–3:6; Ps 97; Jn 1:29-34
