In Home
January 2024
Theme: The Holy Family

Online Session for the week of December 17, 2023

Opening Prayer:

Begin with the Sign of the Cross. Invite a family member to lead the prayer:

O Holy Family, bless and protect all the families of the world; safeguard their unity, fidelity, integrity and dignity. Enable them to live according to God's law that they may fulfill their sublime vocation. May their lives be a reflection of yours and may they enjoy your presence forever in heaven.

Amen.

Discuss:

• • How does your family show love and respect for each other?
  • What are some key factors that help families work together and get along?

Catechesis:

Read the Scripture passage below from the Gospel of Luke 2:41-52:

Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.

Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.

When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

But they did not understand what he said to them.

He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

And Jesus advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

The Holy Family provides a model for how we ought to live: they loved God and one another. Families are 'schools of love'. In them, we learn the art of how to receive and share love. God's love is brought to us through the love of our families, in the messiness and ordinariness of family life. Our family make up, whatever it is, is also a holy family. Each person made in the image and likeness of God. God puts each of us into a family so that we always feel God’s love and forgiveness in our lives. We can learn so much from Jesus’ family, the Holy Family. 

There are so many things we can learn from the Holy Family but let’s look at three things we can learn from them: 

1. 1. 1. Trust: We can learn how to trust God in our faith from the Holy Family. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were all devoted to God and how God works in their lives: Mary trusted God when the angel appeared to her and said God chose her to be the Mother of God; Joseph trusted God to take Mary as his wife even though she was already pregnant before their marriage; Jesus trusted God with his life even though he need to die on a cross.
      2. Love: The Holy Family is a role model in love for each other and for God. They accepted God’s unique plan for each of them because they knew that God loved them and would not ever put them in danger. The love they had for God poured out into a deep love and respect for each other.
      3. Forgiveness: Jesus forgave sinners and teaches us to do the same. Jesus taught us to not only forgive other people but especially our family members. Sometimes families get angry with each other and do and say things out of anger. The Holy Family teaches us that even when families fight and disagree we grow closer through our forgiveness of each other.

How can families model that trust in God, the love of each other, and forgiveness in daily life? By honoring each member of the family as if each were Jesus himself present in our families; by accepting each member of the family as each one is created by God. We all have our own unique personalities. Similarly, God has a unique plan and purpose for each member of your family. So, not only do we need to accept God’s plan for our own life, but we need to accept that plan for others too; by forgiving daily. it’s all too easy to let a hurt fester and grow instead of choosing to forgive and let it go. We all have imperfections and we are all sinners. When we do sin, let’s take it to the confessional of our homes. Let’s admit to any wrongdoing, ask for forgiveness, show mercy, and move on!

Activity:

• Take a picture of your family and explain why they are a holy family.
• Send in the picture to be posted on our website and FB page. Send to Amy Bolle. 

Closing Prayer:

Begin with the Sign of the Cross.

Invite a member of your family to read the each line of the prayer and the rest of the family echo it back. 

God, Our Father, loving and merciful, bring together and keep all families in perfect unity of love and mutual support.
Instill in each member the spirit of understanding and affection for each other.
Keep quarrels and bitterness far from them, and for their occasional failures instill forgiveness and peace.
May the mutual love and affection of parents set a good example.
Instill in children self-respect that they may respect others and grow in mature independence.
May the mutual affection and respect of families be a sign of Christian life here and hereafter, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.     

Amen.

Questionnaire: 

Please make sure you submit your answers below so your child/ren can be marked present for this session. Thank you!