Most will agree that family is something very special. Family members are the people we spend most of our time with, and the people we love and care for the most. Extended families often gather at times of celebration, such as weddings, or grieve together at times of great loss, such as the funeral of a loved one. It is especially heartwarming to think about the joy that family brings during the Christmas season, which is fast approaching. Many of us find ourselves reminiscing about previous holiday seasons, thinking about family members from earlier generations who are no longer with us.
In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew, we read about “the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Jesus’ family ancestry is highlighted, beginning with Abraham and culminating in “Jacob, the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.” This passage highlights the significance of ancestors and family. What is a family? Who are our family members? Our spouses, children, and parents? Yes, of course, but Jesus also tells us clearly in scripture who they are. In Matthew 12:50, He tells us, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” As Christians, we are all one family, one Catholic family praying together, helping one another, assisting the poor and the needy in the name of Jesus. It is in this Catholic family that we welcome anyone who was once a stranger but is no longer, since they have been baptized into the family of Jesus.
Unfortunately, families can sometimes drift apart. However, this Catholic family, made up of an extremely diverse group of baptized members, will never stray. It is the bond of Christ that holds us together forever. We are reminded in a quote from Mother Seton, “He will not abandon you who left all for Him.” It is the head of our Catholic family, Jesus Himself, who keeps us together and who promised that He will be with us always, even until the end of the age.
