(Sir 3:2-6, 12-14; Col 3:12-21; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23)
In the first reading, Sirach talks about honor in a family – both the honor and authority that parents have in their families, and the honor, care and respect that parents deserve as they grow older. Sirach tells us, “Kindness to a father will not be forgotten…”
In the second reading, Paul continues the theme of kindness in his letter to the Colossians, adding “compassion, humility, gentleness and patience” as characteristics to which we should commit as “God’s chosen ones.” Paul also reminds us, “As the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.” In the Lord’s prayer, we ask God to mirror the way that we forgive: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive the trespasses of others against us.”
The Gospel today calls to mind what Sirach tells us about the honor a father has over his children. Joseph took that honor to heart when he listened to the warning the Lord gave him in a dream. Joseph sought to protect his family from Herod, moving them not once, but twice, because of fear of the rulers in Egypt and Israel. Though the Holy Family met with challenges from the very beginning, they stayed together because of the honor and obedience Joseph had.
One quality that makes a family holy is forgiveness. You might think that the only family that never needed to forgive one another was the Holy Family. After all, Mary was born without original sin, Joseph is a saint, and Jesus is the Son of God! But even without actually sinning against one another, there were still plenty of times when mercy and forbearance were necessary. Maybe Mary forgot to let the bread rise one morning, so they had to go without it that day. Perhaps the boy Jesus accidentally broke the water pitcher. Or maybe Joseph felt hurt because he misunderstood something Mary had said to him. Each of these “innocent” events could have led to resentment if it wasn’t dealt with right away.