A School of Love

The family can be described as a school of love: in it, we learn to love first by being loved by our parents and siblings and extended family; as we mature, we learn to reciprocate by participating in family life, thinking of others instead of just ourselves; and finally, we learn to love without counting the cost when caring for those who cannot reciprocate, like an infant or an infirm parent or spouse. This points to how God loves us, selflessly and generously, as we could never fully repay Him for everything we have received. 

This weekend we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. We catch only a few glimpses of the Holy Family in Scripture, and although they were unique in holiness and faced a few extraordinary challenges, we can imagine that much of their life together was humble and unassuming, not so different from that of their neighbors or countless other families throughout history. Looking to the example of the Holy Family, and with the aid of their prayers, may our families and our whole community grow in the love of Christ. 

You will find calendars available at the exits this weekend, and we’ll keep some available in the rear of the church and in the parish office for the next few weeks in case you miss it, while supplies last. I hope that by being reminded of our Lord and the Saints when planning your days and weeks, you might receive abundant blessings throughout the year. 

Next weekend we’ll also distribute kits again at Mass for the Epiphany home blessing. As a reminder, this doesn’t need to be done by a priest or deacon, but can be led instead by the head of the household, together with the rest of the family. The kit contains blessed chalk and a set of instructions and includes adding the inscription “20 + C + M + B + 26” above the main door of the house. (The numbers in the inscription signify the year 2026, and the letters signify both the three Magi, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, as well as the phrase “Christus Mansionem Benedicat,” which means “May Christ bless this house.”) Be sure to pick one of these up next weekend at Mass, and plan to gather as a family for the blessing of your home.