Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

New DeSales World Newsletter - Summer Edition

The Feast of the Holy Family (December 30, 2001)

Suggested Emphasis
Honor thy mother and father.

Salesian Perspective
Today’s selection from the Book of Sirach echoes the Commandment: Honor thy mother and father. The reading is telling us that true religion involves moral duties to others that evolve from one’s moral duties to their parents. Our relationships with others, especially those with whom we share so much time and contact every day, are the primary expression of the disposition of our hearts, minds, affections and attitudes.

The selection from the Letter to the Colossians confronts us with the gift and the challenge - of creating that space we call family, a space in which we first learn something of what it means to be sons and daughters of God. As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, we must clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Insofar as a holy life is not the same as a stress-free or trouble-free life (just look at the life, especially the very early life, of Jesus, Mary and Joseph), we all need to practice these virtues all the time with the hope of establishing, maintaining and strengthening family, especially God forbid when we ruffle, distract or disappoint one another.

Francis de Sales tells us in the Introduction to the Devout Life that we are all called to live a life of devotion. It is precisely in the vocation in which we find ourselves, especially in those roles so basic as mother, father, brother, sister, wife, husband, son or daughter that we must practice the devout life. What is a devout life? Nothing more complicated nor more demanding than doing what is right in the eyes of God and in relation to one another - carefully, frequently and diligently.

Francis de Sales tells us: The little, unattractive and hardly noticeable virtues which are required of us in our household, our place of work, among friends, with strangers, any time and all the time, these are the virtues for us. (Intro III, p.2). Of course, the most important practice is that of love, that which not only reconciles, but also purifies and, dare we say, even glorifies the best of human relationships. It is only in relationship with one another that the practice of the little, everyday virtues flowers into love, not only helping to create a better life here on earth, but also providing a foretaste of the eternal life promised to us in heaven.

Even as we celebrate the Feast of The Holy Family we actually know very little about the day-to-day give and take of the relationships among Jesus, Mary and Joseph: family life is, on many a day, relatively unremarkable. Still, considering Jesus’ fidelity to and passion about his pursuit of justice, peace, reconciliation and freedom, we can certainly sense where Jesus acquired as a child so many of the values he would later exhibit as an adult.

After all, charity, peace, justice, forgiveness like so many things begin at home.

Judi Kenney is a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Vienna, Virginia, where
she is Director of Ministry to the Sick.