Feast of the Holy Family Cycle C                                                        
Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14, Colossians 3:12-17,
Luke 2:41-
52                                                                                                                                
Coming off the heals of Christmas, the Church gives us this wonderful
Feast of the Holy Family. It’s amazing how fast Jesus grows up. From his
birth two days ago to this scene where Jesus is twelve years old, causing
all sorts of anxiety to his parents (we know 12 year olds normally don’t do
such things) at the Temple in Jerusalem.                        
I guess Jesus loved the Passover feast so much that he decided to extend
his stay at the holiest site in all of Israel. But as Jesus is extending his stay
in the Temple, conversing with the scholars and scribes and all the wise
people of Judaism, for a short time of three days until his parents locate
him after putting out an all points bulletin for a lost child (the 1st Amber
Alert in the Gospel), there’s much anxiety within the family,
understandably.                                                                                        
I know I made this point last year on the Feast of the Holy Family, and it’s
worth making it again; what we learn from this nerve-racking scene of
three days of searching for a 12 year old is that there is no such thing as a
perfect family. Even in this family where the father is profoundly holy, just
and righteous; where the Mother is the Mother of God; and where the
child is God, there remains a lack of perfection in the family unit. Even the
best that Hollywood could do over the years with family shows; shows
like “Leave It to Beaver,” or “Eight is Enough,” or “The Brady Bunch,”
they all still displayed the shortcomings that exist in every
family.                                         
But although there is no such thing as a perfect family, what Joseph,
Mary, and Jesus offer to the rest of us is that there is such a truth as a holy
family. You see, our Christian faith does not call our families to perfection.
But the faith does indeed challenge us to raise our families to the level of
holiness. To the level of love for one
another.                                                                                        
So, what’s the difference between perfection and holiness within the
family unit? And how can we attain one (holiness) without the possibility
of attaining the other
(perfection?)                                                                                        
Simply stated, perfection means lack of sin, which no family – or individual
- can attain. Perfection also means there exists a lack of “situational
anxiety,” or “situational worry.” You show me one parent who has never
been anxious or worried about certain events in the lives of their children,
and I’ll show you someone who has no blood running through their veins.
Every parent worries. Every parent gets anxious. And not just parents with
children, but every type of family relationship.                                                 
So when Jesus remains behind in the Temple for three days, preparing
himself knowingly or unknowingly for the ministry he will perform 20 years
down the road, his parents become anxious, and rightfully so. Call out the
German Shepherds. Call out the Blood Hounds. Where is the boy? It’s a
scene of confusion and intense worry for parents. Joseph is probably
saying, “Why didn’t I check to see if Jesus was in the caravan before we
left for Nazareth? It’s all my fault!” And Mary was probably saying, “What
sort of mother am I where my boy is lost? The angel Gabriel must be
terribly disappointed in me!” It all symbolizes a lack of perfection within
the family unit. But such perfection is never, never, never the goal to be
attained in this life. If any family is trying to reach such a false goal, give it
up. We would be doing ourselves a great favor by doing so.                         
Our goal as Christian families is and always will be holiness, which is quite
different from perfection. Yet holiness connects to and reacts to our family
imperfections. Holiness addresses the lack of perfection in our families,
and in society as well. Whereas with lack of perfection comes anxiety,
worry, sometimes anger, frustration and questioning – “Son, why have
you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with
great anxiety!” – whereas lack of perfection causes heartache and
consternation, holiness levels the playing field. Holiness levels
relationships.                        
Because when holiness is the goal, what is lived out in our lives – in
families and society in general – are virtues such as forgiveness, mercy,
understanding (What does he mean when he said “I must be in my Father’
s house?”) The Gospel gives the impression this comment went over the
heads of Joseph and Mary. But holiness overcomes imperfections and
always brings us to a loving state of relating.                                 
And that’s exactly what happens in this Gospel story. Mary and Joseph
were in total disarray about their son, shifting from “Where is he? Why did
he do this to us? We thought we could trust his judgment!” to “he went
down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them.”
Joseph and Mary worked through their confusion and arrived at love.
They worked through some imperfection, and they settled in holiness.
And their love results in Jesus’
obedience.                                                                 
If it were only as simple as all of this sounds!                                                 
But Holy Family Sunday calls our Christian faith away from any goals of
perfection toward the goal of a Spirit-led holiness. Perfection waits for us
in heaven, whereas holiness is lived out in the present.