From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2013
Today is the Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph. The Feast is celebrated on the Sunday following Christmas, unless that Sunday is January 1, in which case it is celebrated on December 30. The Feast was instituted by Pope Leo XIII in 1893 on the Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany.
The first reading taken from Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 narrates how God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who reveres his mother. Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and, when he prays, is heard. Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not all the days of his life; kindness to a father will not be forgotten, firmly planted against the debt of your sins —a house raised in justice to you.
The second reading taken from Col 3:12-21 advises wives to obey their husbands since they are the head of the family just as Jesus is the head of the Church. Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.
Or Col 3:12-17-Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
The Gospel is taken from Mt 2:13-15, 19-23. When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,” Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled; Out of Egypt I called my son.
When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there.
And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee.
He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazorean.
The feast of today reminds us that the purpose of every marriage is to establish a Christian family. It demonstrates Christ’s humility and obedience with respect to the fourth commandment, whilst also highlighting the loving care that his parents exercised in his keeping.
Even though parents and children always will have some level of conflict, but mutual respect helps minimize hurt feelings and animosity resulting from family tensions. Even so, children should respect their parents’ authority, but parents should also respect their children’s value and age-appropriate choices.
When parents and children avoid harsh words, belittling comments and loose tempers, conflicts can often be resolved quickly and effectively. Mutual respect encourages equality in the home.
Even though parents know more because they have more life experiences to draw from, and they have legal authority in the home, they shouldn’t use their elevated positions to dominate their children. A family that encourages mutual respect is likely to be a close family.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
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Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002