Originally published at Churchpop
The Feast of the Holy Family, celebrated this year on December 29, is a beautiful way within the Christmas Octave to honor the human family to which Jesus belonged.
The Holy Family– Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph– is a model for all Christian families, each called to holiness in their own right.
So how does an ordinary family today model the Holy Family?
Here are five ways, all based on concepts from “The Prayer Book for Tired Parents: Practical Ways to Grow in Love of God and Get Your Family to Heaven,” written by my husband and me:
1) Follow God’s laws together.
The Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph were faithful Jews. The Holy Gospels tell us Joseph was “a righteous man” (Mt. 1:19) and that Mary called herself “the handmaid of the Lord.”
The Holy Family kept Jewish practices, including going to the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-52) and raising Jesus according to rabbinical law.
We too are commanded to follow the Law of the Lord.
As a family, follow the Ten Commandments and hone in on the areas where you know your family needs to improve (see “The Prayer Book for Tired Parents” for an examination of conscience written for parents!) –
