St. Joe's Consecration Day 42 - Holy Family as Model of the Church

 We hold up the Holy Family not as icons of awe alone, but as models to live our lives by. Not only do they exemplify the life of perfection that we're all called to live, but they also facilitate it, opening up the channels of grace through the Incarnation and Resurrection that make it possible to join to their blessed happiness. 

"The bond of charity was the core of the Holy Family's life, first in the poverty of Bethlehem, then in their exile in Egypt, and later in the house of Nazareth." (Redemptoris Custos).  

The path Jesus opened up for us to go to Divine Union is the path through normal, everyday, human life: 

"Salvation is realized in actions which are an everyday part of family life. . . 

What is crucially important here is the sanctification of daily life, a sanctification that each person must acquire according to his or her own state and one which can be promoted according to a model accessible to all people: St. Joseph is the model of those humble one whom Christianity raises up to great destinies . . . He is proof that in order to be a good and genuine follower of Christ, there is no need of great things--it is enough to have the common, simple and human virtues. But they need to be true and authentic."

 -St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Custos

It takes a deeper authenticity to accept the true path to holiness. It is not one of great and lofty and widely visible things. The Holy Family exemplifies for us a life of poverty, simplicity, and complete anonymity. This is almost too much to bear. It was too much for the religious leaders--and many of the religious faithful--of Jesus' time to bear. 

We must travail the arduous path of dying to self, letting go of our attachments to our false idols of superficial holiness that only end up serving our own pride. 

We must be willing to do the difficult work of growing in charity in "everyday family life." It's easy to feed the poor at a soup kitchen. It's much more difficult to feed your spouse and children with words of kindness instead of impatience. 

From Consecration to St. Joseph (pp. 158 - 160)

Bottaro and Settle

Pope Francis inside the Sanctuary of the Holy House
CNS Photo; Vatican Media

Can I accept what the Holy Family models for me?

Yes.

What deeper areas of growth am I really in need of?

I need the security in my identity as beloved son of The Father to freely ask for and receive help from other people. I need to accept that I am loved by God and by the Holy Family. That my worth is not tied to any external measures of performance or success.