Reflection for Sunday – December 28, 2025

Readings: Sirach 3: 2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3: 12-21; Matthew 2: 13-15, 19-23 
Preacher: Liz Gillette-Clarke

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—a family made holy not by extraordinary circumstances, but by the unwavering faith and trust of two ordinary people. Mary and Joseph were asked to embrace what seemed impossible, and they did so with open hearts. Their faith in God gave them the courage to trust one another, to say yes together, and to welcome into their home the greatest gift the world has ever known: Emmanuel—God with us—entering our humanity as a fragile, vulnerable child.

It is fitting that this feast falls within the Octave of Christmas. After all, we have just celebrated the birth of Jesus into a human family. Today reminds us that this was not accidental; God chose to come to us within the bond of family life, transforming it forever.

Our first reading from Sirach offers us a foundation for family rooted in reverence and honor. It speaks of fathers and mothers who guide, pray, and teach virtue. It speaks of children who grow in kindness, who learn obedience when young, and who show care and attentiveness when their parents grow old: “Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.” This vision reflects the beauty of mutual love, respect, and responsibility that strengthens every family.

In our second reading, St. Paul gives us the practical means by which we live this out. He urges us to “put on” heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience—virtues that make Christ visible through us. These are not abstract ideals; they are expressions of our daily love for God and one another. When we live these virtues, forgiveness becomes possible. As the Lord has forgiven us, we must forgive one another. And when forgiveness takes root, love—the bond of perfection—can flourish. For this to happen, Paul tells us plainly: Christ must rule our hearts, not the world around us.

As I reflected on today’s feast, I found myself growing nostalgic for Christmases past and for the traditions that time seems to have slowly carried away. Trips “downtown” to Sibley’s, lunch at McCurdy’s, visiting my grandfather and his Rochester Fire Department brothers ringing bells in front of Midtown. School concerts, decorating the tree, setting up the Nativity, wrapping gifts, baking cookies, and making fudge. What stands out now is not the gifts, but the moments—seeing the joy on my mother’s and grandmother’s faces as they watched my sister and me repeat the traditions they loved. I remember the gatherings of many generations, the laughter, the food (so much food!), playing cards, singing carols, simply being present to one another.

These memories reveal something essential: love was at the center. Even when we didn’t agree, we remained a family.

How different things feel in today’s world. We seem to have lost the ability to “agree to disagree.” Families are strained or divided over political differences. We insulate ourselves with news that only echoes our own views. We villainize those who think differently and build walls that divide rather than heal. This stands in stark contrast to what St. Paul teaches us: compassion, patience, humility, and forgiveness. When we neglect these, we see the consequences—in sadness, mistrust, and anger.

But the Holy Family shows us a different way. Mary and Joseph did not have easy lives. They faced uncertainty, danger, displacement, and hardship. Yet they remained faithful. They trusted God’s presence and leaned on each other. And because they did, light entered the world through their home.

We can do the same. By looking to the Holy Family as our model, we can rebuild the bonds of love, restore peace, and bring healing to our families and communities. Their example invites us to bring compassion where there is division, patience where there is tension, gentleness where there is hurt, and forgiveness where there is brokenness.

Let us strive to make our own families—however they are shaped, whatever challenges they face—places where Christ dwells. Places of love, faithfulness, and mercy. And as we carry these virtues beyond our homes, we can help renew our communities and our world.

May the Holy Family intercede for us and guide us in becoming people of faith, hope, and love.