Written by: 12/31/2017 12:00 AM
There are always so many mysteries and things to contemplate this time of year as we make our journey from Advent into Christmas and reemerge through Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord back into Ordinary Time. And the feast that we celebrate today is of no small importance: the Feast of the Holy Family.
It always strikes me that Jesus could have come to this earth in any form that He wanted. I think through the visions and announcements of the Prophet Daniel, for example. The Lord of Glory could have come with the angels blazing a trail before Him.
Yet, Jesus came in such an intimate way through a family. He came in a hidden way so that those who could see with the eyes of faith would be able to recognize Him present as a small child. And He came in a way that we could all relate: a family.
Today, families come in all shapes, sizes and colors. I know families blessed with eleven children; I know families who struggled to have any children. I know families mixed by adoption. I know families blended by intermarriage. I know families that experience the heartbreak of divorce.
And Jesus came in a family to help us keep in mind that no matter what ‘my’ family looks like, he was born into a family to sanctify and bless family life; and His experience of the joy and heartache of family life gives Jesus a greater depth to enter into our joys and heartaches that accompany our family life.
This time of year, we get to celebrate so many things with our families. No matter what your family looks like, I hope and pray that it can be modeled after the Holy Family. And that despite the sometimes difficult struggles, you can find Jesus in the midst of all of the joy and blessings, as well as in the struggle and pain that comes with every family situation in our world today.
One final note: the diocesan priesthood is about pastoring a parish as a family, one of the reasons priests are called ‘Father,’ after all. It was such a joy to be able to share with you the joys of being present on the Great American Baking Show and it is a joy to celebrate Christmas and this season with you, my family, as well.
God Bless, Fr. Kyle Schnippel
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