Psalm Reflection: The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - Cycle B

 “Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.” - Psalms 128

Whose ways did you walk in as a child? Perhaps you looked up to your parents, an older sibling, cousin or best friend? Who did you want to be like?

I was the oldest child in my family, and my parents were very hands-off in their approach to raising us. I think we turned out great, but at the time I do not remember getting a lot of direction, only correction when I did something wrong. I did not have many examples to follow or people I was consistently around that I looked up to until I was much older. The only person I remember looking up to as a kid was a girl named Alex Mack.

Alex Mack was a character on The Secret World of Alex Mack, my favorite TV show growing up. On the show, Alex was exposed to an experimental chemical, and developed the ability to shoot electricity from her fingertips and morph into a blob of goo to move around undetected. Those abilities probably do not sound as appealing as I thought they were as a kid, but it did not hurt that I also had a huge crush on the actress who played Alex. I even wrote a short story in the third grade where I basically applied the circumstances of the show to my own life and chronicled my adventures.

That show, and many other things I grew to like in my later years, appealed to my desires to be special and to make a difference. I did not have anywhere else to look, and I latched on to the first example I could find, and eventually I outgrew Alex Mack and looked elsewhere.

[Actually the show was canceled after four seasons and I still think about it all the time.]

We all aspire to be great and to make a difference. We are inspired by the examples of others; we seek to embody their virtues and even mirror their personality to as to be more like them. That is why Jesus became man. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this in paragraph 459: 

The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me." "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me." 74 On the mountain of the Transfiguration, the Father commands: "Listen to him!" 75 Jesus is the model for the Beatitudes and the norm of the new law: "Love one another as I have loved you." 76 This love implies an effective offering of oneself, after his example. 77

74 Mt 11:29; Jn 14:6.
75 Mk 9:7; cf. Dt 6:4-5.
76 Jn 15:12.
77 Cf. Mk 8:34.

One of the reasons for the Incarnation was so that we would have an example to follow and, in the words of the Psalmist, learn to “walk in His ways.” We can follow many other earthly people, causes, or plans in life, but none of them will ultimately fulfill us or lead us to a place of true blessing. Only in the Lord do we find the answers to all we desire to become:

“The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for” – CCC 27

"It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.” – Pope Saint John Paul II

Even though He is the most important person to ever live who can fulfill us in every way and who literally saves us for all eternity, He does not come in a commanding, attention-seeking way. He teaches us to follow Him on the path of humility: He came in human likeness as a vulnerable and seemingly insignificant child with no wealth or status. How strikingly different Jesus is from the celebrities, millionaires and moguls our culture glorifies. Our society worships those who flaunt their status and bask in their wealth, yet Jesus comes with neither and changes the world forever.

Who are the examples you look to?

Are they worthy of your praise and admiration?

If you became like them, would your life genuinely be more fulfilled?

The Season of Christmas is meant to remind us that God not only came to save us, but He also came to show us how to live by His example so that we will experience His blessing and abundance. And, in following His example, we have the opportunity to be an example to others and invite them on the lifelong journey of following Jesus.

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, which reminds us that holiness begins in the home. Although our families are not perfect, we have been adopted into the Holy Family by virtue of our baptism to bring the love of that family to the world. Our first role and responsibility in life is to our earthly family. When we die and face judgment, we will have to give an account to the Lord of how we carried out that responsibility.

Are you looking to the good examples in your family, or do you listen more to yourself and the world for guidance?

Who are you an example to?

Are you leading those that look up to you in virtuous way?

As we reflect on the Responsorial Psalm this Sunday, hear God inviting you to follow Him. Consider who you need to stop following, and how you can more intentionally take up the responsibility of leading others. How can you better bless your family and those around you by following Jesus and walking in His ways?

Whether you realize it or not, others are watching your example and learning from you. Live in such a way that everything others learn from you is good, true, and virtuous. Follow the humble example of our Lord and experience the blessing of a life lived in pursuit of Him above all things.

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, December 31st, 2023, which is The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - Cycle B: Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5.