On this Sunday within the Christmas season, the Church invites us to pause and contemplate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. It is striking that the Son of God did not choose to enter the world in isolation, nor did He grow up apart from ordinary human relationships. He was born into a family. He was loved, taught, corrected, prayed with, and accompanied day by day within the quiet rhythms of home. In the Holy Family, we see not an idealized or sentimental picture of family life, but a real one marked by sacrifice, trust, obedience, work, and deep love rooted in God.
The family is the first school of love, the first place where faith is handed on, and the first community in which a child learns who God is by watching how they are loved. Long before a child ever steps into a church, a classroom, or a parish program, they encounter God or struggle to through the witness of family life. This is why the Church has always taught that the family is the “domestic church.” It is holy ground.
The parish exists to support and accompany families in this sacred vocation. We do not replace the family; rather, we walk alongside it. Through the celebration of the sacraments, through catechesis, pastoral care, and simple presence in moments of joy and sorrow, the parish seeks to strengthen families so they can live their calling with courage and hope. When families thrive, the Church thrives. When families struggle, the Church is called to draw closer, not farther away.
One of the greatest privileges of my priesthood has been the opportunity to support and accompany families at every stage of life. To rejoice with parents at the baptism of their child, to walk with families through illness or loss, to prepare couples for marriage, to encourage parents striving to pass on the faith these moments are not peripheral to priesthood; they are at its heart. In many ways, I believe this accompaniment is a defining charism of diocesan priesthood: to be close to families, to know them by name, to share their burdens and their joys, and to help them recognize God’s grace already at work in their homes.
It is no coincidence that vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and dedicated Christian service most often arise from homes where faith is lived sincerely even imperfectly but intentionally. Vocations are not manufactured; they are nurtured. They grow in households where prayer is present, where generosity is modeled, and where children are encouraged to listen for God’s voice.
As we honor the Holy Family today, may we recommit ourselves to strengthening our families, supporting one another, and trusting that God continues to build His Church one home at a time.
Your Servant in Christ,
Father Jason C. Hage, Pastor
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Mary, Mother of Our Savior, pray for us!