Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph – Cycle C
Don’t you wish we knew more about the Holy Family? We’d love to know about Joseph, the silent protector of Mary and Jesus. He utters not a word in scripture, yet his docility in accepting God’s miraculous work, and his divine role in that unfolding, makes him the perfect model for all fathers. Imagine a world where children, especially sons, don’t have that “dad-sized hole” in their hearts where their fathers should have been.
The earliest artistic rendering of Mary is a fresco, c. 150 A.D., in the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome. It’s so touching to see her, protectively cradling Jesus, on this ancient wall upon which the martyrs of Rome carved their faith. About this time a book appeared, The First Gospel of James, which was immediately beloved by the Christian communities in Rome. Though never accepted as part of the canon of the New Testament, it contrived to give background stories of Mary and Joseph that we crave to know even today.
When we see them in heaven we can ask them all our questions.
What would you most like to ask Joseph or Mary?
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I have come to light a fire on the earth; how I wish it were already burning (Lk.12:49).
I would love to ask Joseph and Mary many things. Given that the “Holy Family” is the focus of this feast, I would love to hear their parenting and marital advice(although by the time I get to Heaven, that advice would come too late). In scripture, we learn about the times that God spoke to Mary and Joseph before and shortly after Jesus’ birth. Did God speak as clearly to them throughout their lives? If so, what did God say to Mary and Joseph later and how did they respond? Would they have any advice on how we could best listen for God speaking to us?
By the way, I found out about this site through the “Give Us This Day” daily reading today. Nice work, Kathy!
I would like to ask Mary and Joseph to share what was special to each one of them in terms of the relationship that had with their son as he was growing up.
Based on some reading I did this morning, I would like to know what Ann and Joachim said to Mary when she told them she was expecting. Certainly that must have been a shocking moment in that devout Jewish family! I would also like to know what they did for fun!
I find Joseph most intriguing in that we really do not know that much about him but yet his role in the story that changed the world is awesome. In his apparent quiet solitude I look at his example (that I know of) as one of listening to God and following what he heard. Truly he kept Jesus at the center and perhaps that is why we don’t know much about Joseph.
I always think of the part of the story about Mary at the Wedding at Cana where she told the servants to “Listen to Him” when Jesus had the waiters/servants fill the jars with water, etc. That one remark “Listen to Him” is what we all should do anyway to live how we should.
Questions I would ask either of them?? Right now, I’m not sure where I would begin…
Thanks, Kathy, for this opportunity. Happy New Year.
P.S. – I also learned of this site from Give Us This Day.