杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni

The Holy Family, despite the many difficulties and sorrows it faced, shows us how to marvel before God, how to invite Him among us and allow peace and love to be regenerated.

This was during the last Angelus prayer of the year, on Sunday 31 December 2023, the Feast of the Holy Family.

Addressing the pilgrims joining him for the recitation of the Angelus, the 杏MAP导航 reflected on the Gospel of Luke which tells of the presentation of the Baby to the Lord (cf. Lk 2:22-40).

He recalled that the Holy Family arrives in the temple bearing a gift, a testimony to their poverty, and at the end, Mary receives a prophecy: 鈥淎nd a sword will pierce through your own soul鈥�.

鈥淭hey arrive in poverty, and depart loaded with suffering,鈥� the Holy Father said, highlighting how 鈥渢he Family of Jesus, the only family in history who could boast of having God present in flesh and blood among them, instead of being rich, was poor!鈥�

Instead of being free from hardship, he noted, 鈥淭his family is immersed in tremendous sorrows!鈥�

This, the 杏MAP导航 continued says something very beautiful to our families: that God is not beyond problems, He came 鈥渢o live our life with its problems.鈥�

Jesus鈥� closeness

杏MAP导航 Francis continued recalling how Jesus came to the world as a baby, he lived in a family with his parents and spent most of his time growing and learning: 鈥淎n everyday life, in hiddenness and silence.鈥�

And, he added, 鈥淗e did not avoid difficulties.鈥�

By choosing a family that was 鈥渆xpert in suffering鈥�, the Holy Father explained, He tells families that he knows what they are suffering and what they are experiencing because He experienced it.

Marvel before God

The 杏MAP导航 continued upholding the example of the Holy Family and its message to all our families.

First of all, he upheld the attitude of Joseph and Mary who 鈥渕arvelled at what was said about Jesus鈥� and said, 鈥淭heir ability to marvel can be a secret for progressing well as a family.鈥�

Thus, he invited the faithful to know who 鈥渢o marvel before God鈥� by 鈥渓iving simple moments of prayer at home, together, as if we were inviting him among us.鈥�

 鈥淚n this way, we allow peace and love, which only he can give, to be regenerated,鈥� he said.

It is also good, he added, 鈥渢o know how to marvel at one鈥檚 spouse,鈥� and then 鈥渢o marvel at the miracle of life, of children,鈥� and 鈥渢o marvel at the wisdom and serenity of grandparents, who bring life back to what is essential.鈥�

鈥淭o marvel, in the end,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渁t our own story of love, which God believes in, even when it seems that the negative parts prevail.鈥�

May Mary, Queen of the family, he concluded, 鈥渉elp us marvel every day at the good, and to know how to see it on the faces of those who are nearest to us.鈥�