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The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph; Cycle BParenthoodDecember 28, 2014SIR 3:2-6, 12-14HEB 11:8, 11-12, 17-19LK 2:22, 39-40Today we celebrate the family, not just the Holy Family, but all families. If you were with us for any of the Christmas Masses, you know the theme of all the homilies was on the family: the joy of a new child and beauty of what it means to be part of a family – both our personal families and our family in Faith.It seems like the family is under attack by modern society these days. Almost every sitcom and Disney program take shots at traditional family life, especially parents. In just about every episode, parents are made to look like fools at the hands of their kids. They are the butt of the jokes, the ones who don’t get it. The message is pervasive and the sad part is, not only do children believe it, I think to a large degree parents do as well. And it changes their approach to parenting. Allowing TV and movies to affect how you parent is akin to using General Hospital as your primary source of medical information.Fortunately, there are better sources of wisdom and better role models for us to rely on. Today, the Church reminds us of the sacredness of the family. In order to fully appreciate the central role that families play in society, we need to go back to the Christmas event. Not the tree, the decorations and the gifts, but to the fact that God – limitless and eternal – gave all that up to become a finite and mortal being. He became one of us. This profound act of humility made every aspect of the human condition holy:Jesus was born of a woman, making motherhood holyHe was born into a family, making family life holyHe learned His faith and trade from his father, making fatherhood holyHe gave us Himself as food, making the Eucharist holyHe died on the cross, making death holyAnd He rose from the dead, making our bodies holyIn the simplest terms, Jesus made human life holy, and we spend a lifetime trying to understand and live in that holiness. It is the focus of every Mass, the purpose of every sacrament, and the plea of every prayer. Today I would like to focus on one aspect of the family, namely parenthood; not just moms and dads, but also grandmas and grandpas, Godmothers and Godfathers – all those who by their very nature lead and nurture the family.The Church has always respected and protected the unique role of the family and the importance of parents in leading, guiding, training and supporting their children. The CCC proclaims that parents are the first and best teachers of the faith. The Baptism rite begins with reminding parents that their request to have their child baptized comes with the responsibility to bring the child up in the faith. By their very nature, parents actively participate with God in renewing the Church. Thus, parenthood is sacred; it is God’s way to keep His Church faithful, healthy and vibrant. This might surprise you, as you may have assumed that this was more the responsibility of the clergy and religious; not so. Remember Sr Martin de Porres – 2nd grade – St Paul’s in Kenmore: ch-UR-ch. You are the Church. All clergy are first ordained as deacons; that is, as servants. And regardless of where they end up in the hierarchy, they never lose the call and commitment to be of service to the Church. That is, in service to you, to the family and to the parents who lead them.There is a prayer that is said at every diaconal ordination. As the bishop hands the deacon the book of the Gospels, he says:Receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whose herald you have become.Believe what you read; teach what you believe; practice what you teach.I believe these words should be prayed over parents at their children’s baptism as well, because in the deepest way, the Gospel that is lived in the family is the most powerful message of all… It is reflected in how moms and dads love and respect each otherIt is revealed in how parents respond to the trials, challenges and crises that inevitably invade family lifeIt is demonstrated in the central role that faith plays in the family culture through prayer, sacrifice, and forgivenessParents give their children the best experience of the love that God has for us. They help us discover how to love God and guide us to becoming the best version of ourselves. Parents are role models of what sainthood looks like, not so much in their perfection, as in their continual reliance on God’s mercy and compassion.When as a society we turned our back on God, we began to reject the best of ourselves. We lowered the standard of family life and dismissed the values that are threads in the fabric of faith. In so doing, we created a society whose pain is so great that it is exploding with self-serving violence that seeks revenge over forgiveness, greed over generosity, rights over responsibility. And we can point most of our modern malaise to the rejection of God and the demise of the family. But hope is not lost. Our God is able to take the worst situations and fill them with His grace. The secret to recovering our nation’s future is parents willing to fulfill their God-given role. It is a daunting task in today’s world, but they are not alone. Enter Grandma and Grandpa, who (along with their God-given right to spoil their grandkids) also accept the responsibility of being constant reminders of the love and presence of God in the life of the family. And this is not just to their grandkids, but more importantly to their children. Keeping the role of Faith alive in the family by supporting the parents is a vital role that grandparents play. And what’s more, we have the Godparents. While it is certainly an honor to be asked to be a Godparent, it is not an honorary role! Every Godparent commits to living their life as yet another example of how to love and serve God. Their actions, words, guidance, support and presence are essential elements of the faith development of the child.The Church has always promoted and defended the essential role of the family and the sacredness of parenthood to the very survival of society. Unfortunately, the modern media tends to drown out the truth of the Gospel. But know this: Parents are not stupid or fools or idiots, regardless of what’s on TV or in the movies. Parenthood is not just a noble, but a holy, role; one that deserves great respect – not only from children, but also from themselves and society. It is not easy to be a good parent today; probably never has been. But parents who live their lives committed to their faith, guide their families to sainthood. It’s a role that won’t lead to an Oscar or an Emmy, but rather to a place in the Eternal Hall of Fame. ................
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