I feel squeamish when I see those paintings of Jesus, with Mary and Joseph, which depict this trio as the ideal family!  In reality, no one in the Middle East, either now or 2000 years ago, would consider a mother+father+child as a family unit.

Bula from Fiji, where I am at home, visiting my family, especially my mother who is struggling health-wise. What a gift it is to have our travel borders beginning to open up again.

The pandemic lockdown period gave us missionaries and many others, a taste of what it must have been like for our first missionaries, including St Joseph Freinademetz, who left their home and family knowing they would most likely never return.

On Christmas Day we celebrated the remarkable mystery of God becoming one of us.  God wanted to show the great love that God has for us, and so putting aside the glory of divine transcendence God became one of us as a poor, defenceless child. 

At first reading of this Sunday’s Gospel, we might be seriously wondering what Jesus is talking about. We all thought that Jesus came to this world as a “Prince of Peace”.

One wonders if the neighbours of Joseph and Mary thought of the two of them plus Jesus, and any other siblings he might have had, as a “holy family”.  They certainly would have been seen as a devout Jewish family.

If only we knew more about this remarkable Holy Family!  The Scriptures tell us some things, but also so many things they don’t tell us?  However, the Scriptures do give us a hint as to why we can call Jesus’ family a Holy Family.

Parishioners of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart parish in Alice Springs celebrated the Feast of Christ the King by coming together for Mass and then gathering at the historic Telegraph Station for a fun family picnic and barbecue.

They were celebrating the end of the Year of Mercy and the beginning of the Year of the Family which is taking place across the Diocese of Darwin as a way of responding to Pope Francis’ apostolic letter Amoris Laetitia.

For those, like me, who have been playing the game “Pokemon Go”, you might be able to relate with me. As far as I understand the game, you capture as many Pokemon monsters as you can.

In my family, one of my brothers in recent years has been given the title of “Deacon” by my other siblings. My brother is not actually a deacon, nor does he have any theological degrees or anything along this line.

He’s been nicknamed deacon by my siblings because of his apparent deep faith and devotion. He spends a lot of his time attending Mass, religious functions, and reading spiritual books when he is not working his normal job as an engineer in a well-known company. He also enjoys talking about religious matters in family get-togethers.

Family holds such an important part in our lives. Ideally, although I acknowledge, not always, it is the place where we are brought into the world, nurtured, formed, taught to love and be loved.

It is the place where we feel safe, as well as sometimes frustrated and annoyed! Family is on my mind because I am about to head home to Germany and Poland for a period of leave, to catch up with family and friends.