The Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s is designated as Holy Family Sunday.  This year Holy Family Sunday coincides with New Year’s Eve.  Perhaps it is a good opportunity to look at our family… give thanks… and/or mend differences and repair relationships.
 
Families! There are families… and there are families… they come in all sizes and shapes… there are biological families… and faith families… and families formed through friendships.  Belonging to a family is important to help us grow physically, educationally, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually.  Persons are shaped and come to maturity by virtue of the relationships within the family.
 
Families are NOT perfect.  I attended a workshop in the early eighties during which the presenter stated that 96% (at that time) of all families were dysfunctional.  I was upset — there was nothing wrong with my family!  By the end of the weekend, I realized that my family of origin was not perfect, but normal… we had the same struggles with life and society that most families experienced.
 
I have a feeling that the Holy Family had to cope with the domestic issues of the day as well.  Was Jesus the perfectly obedient child?   How was it for Mary to be alone (and a single parent) after Joseph died?  How was it for her when her son left home “to do His thing”?... even though we know now that it was to do the will of His Father.
 
In reality, family is a gift… sometimes we have to sort through the struggles to see the blessing and the gift.  On this holy Feast, take a moment to reflect on the persons in your life who are “family”.   May the coming new year bring abundant blessings to you and all in your family.