Christmas is a family feast. Every year we celebrate it within our families and with the people who are the closest to us. Because the whole story of Jesus’ birth took place within a family, that’s why it is so close to our own human experience. So, it is not surprising that on the first Sunday after Christmas, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. In this way we not only honor this unique family of Nazareth, but also are reminded about the beauty, dignity, and mission of our own families.
On one hand the family of Joseph and Mary was similar to other Jewish families of their time. They followed the customs and social rhythm of their local community. On the other hand, as we know, it was a completely unique family. Besides a few stories recorded in the gospels we don’t know much about their daily life. Certainly, it was a life centered on God with great simplicity in the midst of material but not spiritual poverty. This family was holy and perfect, not because they didn’t have any problems, the contrary, they had more problems because of their unique situation. This family was holy because God was in the center of their life. Day by day, they responded to the call of giving themselves to each other as a gift of love and to those who lived around. In this way they reflected the ‘communion of love’ found in the life of the Most Holy Trinity.
This feast reminds us of our own families—those from which we came and those some of us started. We cherish many beautiful memories and moments of the family life. But we are also aware of the problems, challenges, and sufferings experienced by so many families in our time. They could result from the broken relationships that exist within so many of them, material or spiritual impoverishment, a lack of financial or emotional security, violence, and indifference present in some of them. It has never been easy to start and sustain a family and it is not so today. Also, because Christian families are often exposed to a hostile culture and confronted with ‘new models’ of the family life imposed by our society.    
The feast of the Holy Family presents to us not only a ‘perfect model’ to be followed by our families. It brings to them joy and hope. God wanted his Son to come to this world within and through a family. In this way he wanted to sanctify and redeem each human family and he wants to be part of our families. The Holy Family of Nazareth strengthened by God’s loving presence was able to pass united through all sorts of challenges and difficulties. Similarly, the presence of Jesus in our families can bring reconciliation, healing, and peace to them. We need strong Christians families to be a sign of hope, love, and life for all of us.