Friendship With the Holy Family
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Through faith and baptism Jesus literally comes to live in the souls of each one of us.
The purpose of life is to be transformed in union with Jesus so that we become more and more like him. How in the world is this going to happen! I am not very good at living in imitation of Jesus. Well, God is not expecting us to do it alone. He has given us great help. First, Jesus wants to do it for us, to live through us, if we would just learn how to cooperate with him and let him. Second, Jesus gave his Mother Mary to be our Mother. At the Cross Jesus saw the disciple whom he loved standing near (this disciple is not named because we are the disciple Jesus loved), then he said “Behold, this is your mother.” Since Jesus lives in us and Mary is the mother of Jesus then she becomes our Spiritual Mother. Third, since Jesus lives in us, St. Joseph, the father of Jesus continues to care for us. Jesus was part of the Holy Family and since he lives in us, we are now part of the Holy Family, with Mary as our mother and Joseph as our guardian, protector and provider. We are to live in a friendship with all three as they help us become more and more like Christ.
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We are to become like Jesus by living in friendship with the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. A powerful way to do this is by praying the Rosary. St John Paul II, in his letter on the Rosary writes: “The Rosary mystically transports us to Mary's side as she is busy watching over the human growth of Christ in the home of Nazareth. This enables her to train us and to mold us with the same care, until Christ is “fully formed” in us (cf. Gal 4:19).”
Somehow, when we pray the Rosary, the Holy Spirit brings us to the Home of the Holy Family in Nazareth, where Mary is caring for, teaching and forming Jesus, so that she can do the same for us.
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Imagine what it would be like to go to the home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph when they were living in Nazareth. Imagine knocking on the front door, being welcomed in by Joseph who brings you into their main room, sits you comfortably at the table. And there you are, with Mary and Jesus. I’m sure they would immediately serve you with all kinds of hospitality and as you eat and drink what they provide they ask you about your life. They are interested. They care. What do you say to them? How would you describe your life to them? What would you want to ask them?
This is precisely what happens when we pray the Rosary. We are transported to the home of the Holy Family, and we are with them. We come into the presence of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We can speak with them in our mind and heart. Even more, we can listen to them as we meditate, repeating the Our Father and Hail Mary’s over and over.
The Rosary is not just a repetitive saying of words. By the power of the Holy Spirit, it is a real encounter with Jesus, Mary and Joseph and a time to build a deep and lasting friendship with them.
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The Rosary makes the home of the Holy Family present. When we invite people into our home, we put our guests into immediate and direct contact with Jesus, Mary and Joseph, just by living friendship, offering hospitality, delighting in their guests, laughing, talking and inviting them to pray the Rosary with them. I think this is our mission – to give people an experience of the Holy Family in our own home and this will be a source of peace and joy.
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The best day to begin to live out the lesson of the Holy Family in Nazareth is Sunday.
Sundays should not be the day just to get caught up. We must take back Sunday by living it the way the Holy Family would. Celebrate all God has done in the Mass. Then invite family and friends into to your home, or invite yourself to their home, share a meal, good conversation, take part in the good things of God’s creation, have good conversation together and then invite them to pray the Rosary with you.
Let’s begin to live the mystery of Nazareth by taking back Sunday!