Growing up, I had an aunt who loved Santa. No matter the season, there were Santa pictures and statues up around her house. It was a Santa explosion at Christmas. For another aunt, it was cows (she and her husband raised them so this made sense). Each time we visited, my siblings and I would see if we could count how many we could find in the house. We always came up with a different number, but it was usually over 100.
As I look around my own home, I have come to realize that perhaps this tendency to theme our house has found its way into my own decorating style. For us, it’s images of the Holy Family. In nearly every room of the house, there is at least one picture or statue of the Holy Family, sometimes two or three. There is something I find so intriguing about this little family, something so beautiful, I can’t help but surround myself and my family with them.
Our Gospel today concludes with actions every good Jewish family did. Mary and Joseph, having fulfilled the prescriptions of the law after having a child, returned back to their home to live their normal lives. There is something mundane and almost anticlimactic about this scene. They did what they were supposed to do and then they went home.
How many Sundays has my family done the same. We go to Mass, fulfilling our Sunday obligation, and then we go home to continue living our normal lives. There is a catch, however. The last line of today’s Gospel tells us that “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.” While Mary, Joseph, and Jesus did lead everyday ordinary lives in these days, something special and unique was still at work in their home.
They lived in perfect accordance with God’s Will. Mary, being immaculate and without sin, had united herself fully to God’s Will when she offered her fiat, her yes to participate in His plan for salvation. Joseph, though not immaculate, was especially chosen by God to accompany Mary and Jesus, which he did with his whole heart. Jesus, in His humanness, obediently learned from Mary and Joseph how to love God and love life.
They lived in harmony, even when their life was difficult. They lived in unity, while each being their own unique persons. They lived to serve God and to fulfill His every desire and commandment. These are the things I want said about my own family. When I look at the various images I have of the Holy Family, I am reminded of the love they shared and their willingness to put God first above all things, even on the most ordinary days of the week.
Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Saint of the Day
Saint Hilary of Poiters
Hilary of Poitiers was a 4th-century bishop, renowned for his defense against Arianism and contributions to early Christian theology and writings.
The post Saint Hilary of Poiters appeared first on uCatholic.
Saint Anysia, a devout Christian, lived in Thessalonica during Emperor Maximian’s rule (284-305). Following her parents’ demise, who had instilled in her deep Christian faith, Anysia sold all her possessions and gave the proceeds to the poor. She then embarked on a life marked by fasting, vigil, and prayer.
Anysia was deeply passionate about her faith. She often reflected on the transitory nature of youth, expressing a preference for old age and lamenting the temporal distance from the afterlife. She was wary even of sleep, seeing it as a vulnerability against her spiritual ‘enemy’.
Emperor Maximian, during his reign, intensified the persecution of Christians. He issued a decree allowing the killing of Christians without any legal repercussions. This led to widespread violence and the deaths of many Christians in various places.
An incident occurred when Anysia was on her way to church. A pagan soldier confronted her, insisting she participate in a sun festival and offer sacrifices. Anysia refused and tried to leave, but the soldier aggressively tried to remove her veil. In a bold act of defiance, she pushed him away, spat in his face, and proclaimed her allegiance to Jesus Christ.
This act of resistance infuriated the soldier, who then killed her with his sword. Onlookers who gathered around her body mourned her death and openly criticized the emperor for his harsh decree, which had led to the loss of many innocent lives. Christians later buried Anysia near the city gates and erected a chapel over her grave to honor her martyrdom.
Photo credit: Dr. med. Detlef Bihn via Wikimedia Commons
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Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Daily Meditation
Granting God Complete Authority
Click here for daily readings Who or what has authority over your life? Is it your job, your schedule, maybe the demands of parenting? Is it something more subtle such…
“But they did not understand what he said to them.”
Mary and Joseph have just experienced every parent’s worst nightmare: their son was missing for THREE DAYS, as they searched and asked and retraced the steps of their journey. Imagine their relief when they returned to the Temple and saw him at last. Surely they ran to him with joy and exasperation, only to hear his answer, “Why were you looking for me?” Why? WHY?!
Of course they did not understand what he said to them. Their hearts had gone through the wringer of fear and anxiety, their imaginations had probably thought of worse case scenarios, their minds could not understand why he would separate himself from the ones who loved him and had supplied his every need in every moment of his life up until then. And he seems to give a dismissive answer, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Like a sword to the hearts of Joseph and Mary, his response does not seem to take their anxieties into account.
This is hard to understand, so hard that Mary must store it away to ponder later, as we are told she “kept all these things in her heart.” But he returns to their home in Nazareth, and is obedient to them.
This Holy Family did not have a schedule given to them from Heaven. Yes, they were holy; yes, Jesus was the Incarnate Son of God; yes, Mary was sinless; yes, Joseph was a just man. They were good Jews, subject to the Jewish Law and open to the will of the Father. But they did not know where the will of the Father would take them. It took them to Bethlehem when they should have been preparing at home for the birth of Jesus. It took them to Egypt for several years to flee the murderous rage of Herod when they wanted to return home with their infant. It took them back to Nazareth at last, where they raised a child they knew to be the Messiah. And it took them over a painful journey of three days to find him in the Temple.
What did this require of them? The same thing that it requires of us: loving trust. They are the model for us of a life of love and trust, obedience and patience, great faith and hope and humility, knowing the will of the Father is always for our good, even when it is difficult.
Let us pray for the grace to continue to submit ourselves to the will of the Father, especially when it is hard to understand, when it seems something else would be better, when it costs us. It is then that our trust is deepened and our love grows.
Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Saint of the Day
Saint Hilary of Poiters
Hilary of Poitiers was a 4th-century bishop, renowned for his defense against Arianism and contributions to early Christian theology and writings.
The post Saint Hilary of Poiters appeared first on uCatholic.
The Holy Family, consisting of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, is a central figure in Christian tradition. Although the Canonical Scriptures provide limited information about their life, including significant events like Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, their flight to Egypt, and Jesus being found in the temple, these texts leave many details unexplored. To fill these gaps, non-canonical texts like the Infancy Gospel of Thomas offer stories, but these have not been accepted into the canon due to their portrayal of Jesus.
Despite these gaps in the historical record, the Holy Family has become an important symbol in Christian devotion, particularly since the 17th century. This devotion was further institutionalized when Pope Benedict XV, in 1921, established the Feast of the Holy Family in the Latin Rite general calendar, a practice previously confined to regional observance. The Feast, celebrated on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s Day, emphasizes the Holy Family as a model for Christian families and domestic life. If Christmas and New Year’s Day are both Sundays, the Feast is observed on December 30th, but attendance is not mandatory. Before 1969, it was celebrated on the first Sunday after Epiphany.
The Feast of the Holy Family is more than a celebration of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; it’s an opportunity to reflect on and sanctify our own family units. The concept of the “domestic church” encourages Christians to make Christ and His Church central to family and individual life. This can be achieved through practices like reading scripture, praying, attending Mass, and emulating the Holy Family.
The Church also identifies behaviors that contradict God’s vision for the family, such as abortion, contraception, same-sex marriage, polygamy, embryonic stem-cell research, divorce, and abuse. Catholic teaching emphasizes that marriage should be open to procreation and cautions against practices that impede this. Additionally, social issues like poverty and lack of healthcare are seen as detrimental to families and are areas of concern for Christians.
The Feast of the Holy Family serves as a time to appreciate and pray for our families, both human and spiritual. It’s also an occasion to assess our family life, considering how it might be improved and how we can foster family values in our communities.
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Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Daily Meditation
Granting God Complete Authority
Click here for daily readings Who or what has authority over your life? Is it your job, your schedule, maybe the demands of parenting? Is it something more subtle such…
Today in the Gospel of Matthew we not only read about one of the most faithful men in the Bible, but we read about one of the most devastating events in the Bible. First we hear about St. Joseph’s obedience, and then we remember the Holy Innocents.
St. Joseph was not just the foster father of Christ; he was the faithful husband who took care of Mary when she was expecting Baby Jesus. He supported Mary throughout her pregnancy and through Jesus’ birth. He protected Mary and Jesus when King Herod sought to kill Him. And we can assume that he taught Jesus carpentry and served as a valuable role model for how a father and husband should treat his family. Although we never hear any spoken words of St. Joseph in the Bible, we can discern from his actions that he was obedient, loving, kind, and generous. We know that he was the very epitome of what a father and husband should be.
The Holy Innocents were baby boys under the age of two whom King Herod ordered to be killed after he learned that Baby Jesus was born. Herod felt so threatened by Jesus that he couldn’t stand to let any baby boy within that age range continue to live. This infanticide still shocks and saddens us today.
These two men show us both love and the antithesis of love. Joseph was a compassionate father who cared for his family. Herod was a king who should have had the best interests of his people at heart, but who, in a horrible display of hatred, ordered the slaughter of the innocents.
Though some estimates offer higher numbers, today’s estimates say that about 14,000 babies were killed. Regardless of the actual number, we know that all of those children were senselessly and needlessly killed. The grief the parents felt must have been crushing.
As we think about this model father and these lost babies today, let us reflect on the fathers in our lives, the kind of father we want for our children, and the kind of father you are if you are a father. Let us also think about the holy innocents of our day—the 2,900 babies killed every day in the US through abortion. Let us pray for their souls, for their mothers and fathers, and for the souls of everyone involved in the abortion industry.
Herod is alive and well in abortion clinics today, but we have the power to help stop this modern-day slaughter of the innocents. And so we need the intercession of St. Joseph to pray for families, to give strength to fathers, and to protect all babies who are in danger of abortion. St. Joseph, pray for us!
Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Saint of the Day
Saint Hilary of Poiters
Hilary of Poitiers was a 4th-century bishop, renowned for his defense against Arianism and contributions to early Christian theology and writings.
The post Saint Hilary of Poiters appeared first on uCatholic.
Herod “the Great,” the king of Judea, was a deeply controversial figure. His rule was marked by his close ties with the Romans and a lack of religious commitment, factors that made him deeply unpopular among his people. This unpopularity bred insecurity and fear in Herod, making him intensely protective of his power. His reign was characterized by political cunning and extreme brutality. Among his many ruthless acts, he is known for the murder of several members of his own family, including his wife, brother, and the husbands of his sister.
The story of Herod’s most infamous atrocity is recounted in Matthew 2:1-18. When astrologers from the east came searching for the “newborn king of the Jews,” having been guided by a star, Herod was deeply troubled. These astrologers were informed that the Jewish Scriptures pointed to Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah. In a deceitful move, Herod asked them to inform him of the child’s location under the pretense of paying homage. However, the astrologers, having been divinely warned, did not return to Herod. They found Jesus, presented their gifts, and then avoided Herod, allowing Jesus and his family to escape to Egypt.
Enraged by this, Herod ordered a horrific massacre, commanding the killing of all boys in Bethlehem and its surrounding areas who were two years old and under. This tragic event brought immense suffering and grief to the families involved. Matthew 2:18 describes the agony of this moment, drawing a parallel with an earlier tragedy in Jewish history where Rachel, the wife of Jacob, mourned for her children during the Assyrian captivity.
The massacre of the Holy Innocents, as it came to be known, stands out as a particularly brutal episode, even when compared to the genocides and widespread atrocities of our times. The tragedy underscores the immense value of human life, a treasure that, according to Christian belief, is graced by the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even if the number of innocent lives lost in Bethlehem was small compared to modern tragedies, each life is seen as infinitely precious, a unique person destined for eternity.
Editorial credit: Renata Sedmakova / Shutterstock.com
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Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Daily Meditation
Granting God Complete Authority
Click here for daily readings Who or what has authority over your life? Is it your job, your schedule, maybe the demands of parenting? Is it something more subtle such…
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season we must stay grounded in Christ. As the days are short, and cold, it is time to embrace the light of Christ and carve out time to cultivate prayer and reflect on this beautiful Saint, John the Apostle and Evangelist. On this day we recall “the one whom Jesus loved.” Tradition holds that he outlived the other Apostles, dying around the year 101 AD, and is the only Apostle who died of natural causes, not martyrdom. He was also the only Apostle of Jesus who had the strength to stand at the foot of the cross during our Lord’s crucifixion and death.
On this feast day 351 years ago Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and invited her to be the Disciple of the Sacred Heart. St. Margaret wrote, “He made me rest for a long time on His divine breast, where He discovered to me the wonders of His love and the inexplicable secrets of His Sacred Heart.” He allowed her to encounter the same Heart that St. John the Apostle encountered as he rested his head on the chest of Christ at the Last Supper. On this day in the 12 Century, Jesus also invited St. Gertrude to rest her head on His chest and listen to the heartbeat of the Lord.
In today’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene panicked as she didn’t know where Jesus’ body was. Her heart must have been breaking as she had just watched the bloody and horrific crucifixion, and now his body had gone missing! This Gospel stresses the importance of staying close to the Lord, trusting the Lord, and allowing the Lord to lead us, even when life is very difficult. This Scripture reveals the importance of obedience and trust. It reveals that shortly after the triumph of the cross comes the power of the empty tomb. Our Lord was born to die and open the gates of eternal life for us through His resurrection.
Imagine the joy that came in knowing that His body had not been taken, but rather that He had resurrected from the dead. Jesus wants to calm our hearts and give us the joy of following His path and plan. In the midst of this joyful season after Christmas, may we carve out time to reflect on our faith and how the Lord desires to bring us peace and joy within our hearts.
Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Saint of the Day
Saint Hilary of Poiters
Hilary of Poitiers was a 4th-century bishop, renowned for his defense against Arianism and contributions to early Christian theology and writings.
The post Saint Hilary of Poiters appeared first on uCatholic.
The Gospels succinctly describe the calling of John and his brother James by Jesus. Their immediate response to Jesus’ call is highlighted by them leaving their boat and their father Zebedee to follow Him, as narrated in Matthew 4:21-22.
Peter, James, and John, former fishermen, shared a special bond with Jesus. They were the only disciples present at pivotal events like the Transfiguration, the resurrection of Jairus’s daughter, and Jesus’ agony in Gethsemane. John’s relationship with Jesus was particularly profound. He is referred to as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” in his own Gospel (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2), and he held the unique honor of being entrusted with the care of Jesus’ mother as per John 19:26-27.
Traditionally, John is credited with authoring the Fourth Gospel, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation. However, modern scholars often question whether the apostle and the evangelist are the same person. John’s Gospel is known for its theological depth, earning him the metaphorical title ‘the eagle of theology.’ This Gospel presents a divine perspective of Jesus, even in the accounts of His earthly life.
Despite their close association with Jesus, the Gospels also reveal the human side of John and James, who were nicknamed by Jesus as “sons of thunder.” This nickname is reflected in two notable incidents. The first incident involves their mother’s request for them to have places of honor in Jesus’ kingdom, to which Jesus teaches about true authority and service (Matthew 20:27-28). The second incident is their suggestion to call down fire from heaven on inhospitable Samaritans, which Jesus rebukes (Luke 9:51-55).
John also plays a crucial role in the events following Jesus’ resurrection. He is one of the first to reach the empty tomb, as described in John 20:2-8. Along with Peter, John witnesses and participates in early miracles after the Resurrection, such as the healing of a man born crippled. Their boldness and unmistakable association with Jesus leave a significant impression, as noted in Acts 4:13.
The Apostle John emerges as a pivotal figure in the New Testament, not just for his close relationship with Jesus but also for his human qualities and his significant contributions to early Christian teachings and literature.
Editorial credit: Renata Sedmakova / Shutterstock.com
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Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Daily Meditation
Granting God Complete Authority
Click here for daily readings Who or what has authority over your life? Is it your job, your schedule, maybe the demands of parenting? Is it something more subtle such…
It’s always been odd to me to have a feast of the first martyr the day after Christmas. Yes, as Christians, we know difficult things will be required of us, but does that mean we have to have a reminder right after we celebrate Jesus coming into the world? Can we just have joy for a little bit?
Based on my research, the reason this day was chosen as the feast of St. Stephen was because on this day in the 5th century, the relics of St. Stephen were discovered after having been forgotten for centuries. But, as I’ve often discovered in my own life, the reasons and ways of God are subject to multiple interpretations, and life is often both/and, not either/or.
While on this date God did restore the relics of the first martyr to us, it’s also a stark reminder to us that, amid our Christmas joy, Jesus came to us to die. God’s plan was beyond anything we ever could have imagined, but it involved sorrow and death.
But as we already know, sorrow and death weren’t the final answer. Everlasting joy and the beauty of Heaven wait for us who believe and live as we believe. I think that’s another reason why we celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen on this day: Christ coming to the earth only prefigured the sorrow he would experience on the Cross, and the sorrow of the martyrs who would give their lives for the sake of the Gospel. On the other side of death, however, is everlasting life.
So is the Feast of St. Stephen on December 26th a stark reminder of what we are called to as Christians? Absolutely. But it is also a reminder of the promise of Heaven. That is why, even as we commemorate St. Stephen’s martyrdom, our joy is complete.
Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Saint of the Day
Saint Hilary of Poiters
Hilary of Poitiers was a 4th-century bishop, renowned for his defense against Arianism and contributions to early Christian theology and writings.
The post Saint Hilary of Poiters appeared first on uCatholic.
Saint Stephen, revered as the first Christian martyr and one of the initial deacons of the Christian Church, was martyred around 35 AD in Jerusalem.
Stephen, a Jew with a Greek name meaning “crown,” likely had exposure to Hellenistic culture outside Palestine. Details of his conversion to Christianity post-Christ’s death are unknown, but he soon emerged as a key figure among Jerusalem’s Christians, particularly influencing Greek-speaking residents.
Stephen first appears in the scriptures as one of seven men appointed to oversee the distribution of food and aid, a common practice among early Christians who shared their resources. Alongside Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas, Stephen was ordained by the Apostles for this role. These men, later known as deacons (from the Greek word for ‘to minister’), were tasked with managing charitable and minor religious duties.
Renowned for his faith and spirit, Stephen began speaking publicly with increased fervor, performing wonders and engaging in theological debates, especially with Jewish priests who had converted to Christianity but clung to Mosaic law. Stephen argued that Jesus Christ had superseded this old law, emphasizing the spirit of faith over external rituals and even questioning the sanctity of the Temple—a stance that led to significant controversy.
His teachings, often distorted through rumors, provoked hostility, particularly in a synagogue that included Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, and Asians. Accused of blasphemy against Moses and God, Stephen faced trial before the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish court. Despite a defense that traced the spiritual history of his people, his speech turned into a condemnation of the court, leading to an outburst of fury.
Convicted of blasphemy, Stephen was taken out of the city and stoned to death, a lawful punishment for his alleged crime. In his final moments, he remained steadfast, praying for his spirit and for forgiveness for his persecutors. His martyrdom was witnessed by Saul, later known as Paul the Apostle, whose conversion to Christianity followed shortly after.
Editorial credit: godongphoto / Shutterstock.com
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Daily Reading
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Hebrews 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. Instead, someone has testified somewhere: What is man…
Daily Meditation
Granting God Complete Authority
Click here for daily readings Who or what has authority over your life? Is it your job, your schedule, maybe the demands of parenting? Is it something more subtle such…