Family Matter

December 17, 2024 Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
Daily Readings: Genesis 49:2, 8-10; Matthew 1:1-17

Jesus belongs to a long lineage of both holy and unholy men and women. He was brought up by a holy human father, Joseph, and a holy human mother, Mary.

We, too, have our own families. I belong to the fourth generation. I can say that my grandfather, Obal, was a good man. Everyone in town spoke well of him. He was a man of the Church. He had seven sons, one of whom was Alejo. I remember that, as kids, we were often referred to as the "daughters of Sir Alex," as my father was fondly called. It was in my family that I was nurtured in faith.

How are our families these days? Do they still serve as the seedbed of our faith, or have they given in to the stronger influence of social media? Have we handed over the task of raising our children to artificial intelligence? What kind of parents are raising children today, and what kind of children are these parents raising?

When we were baptized, we became part of a larger family—Christ’s family. As members of this family, we are called to care for one another, especially the weak and the lost. We are to ensure that each member is nurtured in faith and well-being. Many members of our family are hungry, hurting, sick, and in need of care and attention.

We belong to God’s family. May we strive to nurture faith in our own families as well as in the family of all the baptized, so that when the time comes, we will all rejoice as one big family in heaven with our Father.

A Call to Action for Catholic Living: Strengthen faith in your family, care for the weak, and live as true members of God’s family."