Sunday Reflections, Feast of the Holy Family, Year A, 28 December 2025

Flight into Egypt

Blessed Fra Angelico [Web Gallery of Art] 

Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand)

Readings (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: (England & Wales, Scotland, India) 

Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)

Gospel Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 (English Standard Version, Anglicised)

When the Magi had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Léachtaí i nGaeilge

St Joseph and the Christ Child

El Greco [Web Gallery of Art]

St Joseph is central in the Christmas story as St Matthew tells it. His role is to be the husband of Mary. It is as such that he names Mary’s son and so becomes his legal father (Mt 1:21). It is as husband of Mary that he took the child and his mother by night and fled to Egypt. It is as husband of Mary that he took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. It was as husband of Mary that he was afraid to go there’(Judea) and risk not only his own life but theirs and took them instead to Galilee.

The major feast of St Joseph, on 19 March, honours him as ‘Husband of Mary’. I can’t help repeating that the primary vocation of a married couple is to be spouses, not parents. It is as loving spouses that they become loving parents. This was most clearly expressed for me about 20 years ago by an 11-year-old boy at a family day of Worldwide Marriage Encounter in Bacolod City, Philippines, during an activity for the pre-teens. They were asked what they loved most about their parents. He said, ‘What I love most about my parents is that they are always together’.

A wife can fail as a spouse by giving more attention to her children than to their father. Nobody questions the love of a mother. But it can be a temptation. If a husband, who has pledged his life to his wife till death do us part thinks that he is not any more the most important person in the life of his wife he may be more easily tempted to look elsewhere, with tragic consequences for the whole family.

So many married couples in the Philippines, and elsewhere, are separated by the fact that one is working overseas, sometimes both and possibly in different countries. It is vital that they have living and vibrant communication. Modern technology has made that possible in almost every part of the globe. I knew one Filipino couple where the husband was on a scholarship overseas and who talked every night using Skype. And their children had a chance to see and talk to their father as he saw and talked to them. 

St Joseph, Husband of Mary, pray for us.

Nativity of Jesus

Blessed Fra Angelico [Web Gallery of Art]

Silent Night

Music by Franz Xaver Gruber, original lyrics in German by Joseph Mohr

Arranged by James Burton and sung by Voces8

A note under the video says that it will be online from 8 December to 6 January. This is my 83rd Christmas and I don't think I have ever listened to a better setting and performance of this most loved of Christmas hymns.

Traditional Latin Mass

Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity

The Complete Mass in Latin and English is here. (Adjust the date at the top of that page to 12-28-2025 if necessary).

Epistle: Galatians 4:1-7. Gospel: Luke 2:33-40.

Presentation in the Temple

Rembrandt [Web Gallery of Art]

Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed’ (Luke 2:34-35; Gospel).