THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Her Doctrine and Morals

The Holy Family

12 January 2025

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The Sunday

Sermon

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Dear Friends in Christ,

As we honor the Holy Family, we are filled with awe and reverence. There is so much for us to consider as we contemplate the mystery of Mary as both Mother and Virgin. We cannot completely understand motherhood in virginity or virginity in motherhood, so we are left in wonderous awe of God's works in His Mother.

As we contemplate Who the Son of the Virgin Mother is, wonder gives way to reverence. Mary is the mother of the Son of God. Only she has the privilege of addressing God as her Son. The Angels all bow down, worship, and obey her Son.

The wonders and the reverence do not stop here. They have only begun because our thoughts now turn to God the Son. He has humbled Himself to take up our nature — the very nature of His creatures. Not only this, but He humbles Himself in obedience to a woman. Because of His obedience to Mary, God is also obedient to Saint Joseph. The greatest in power, dignity, and honor (Jesus Christ) took the last place in the Holy Family. The least in spiritual power, dignity, and honor (Saint Joseph) was placed in the greatest position as father. Mary is between these two. She is honored with authority over God but humble in submission to Saint Joseph. This profound humility and obedience of the Holy Family should inspire us in our own lives.

Of virgins, we read in the Apocalypse (14:4) that "they follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." This means that the Virgin Mother and her spouse, Joseph, lead the Lamb. "He was subject to them." In whatever station we find ourselves in this life, we have a solid guide in the Holy Family.

Saint Bernard, a revered theologian, says: "If you are unable to follow Him on the sublime way of virginity, then follow God by that most sure way of humility; from whose straightness should some, even from among the virgins, go aside, then must I say what is true, that neither do they 'follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.' He that is humble, even though he be stained, he follows the Lamb; so too does the proud virgin; but neither of the two whithersoever He goeth: because the one cannot ascend to the purity of the Lamb that is without stain, nor will the other deign to come down to the meekness of the Lamb, Who stood silent, not merely before the shearer, but before the one that put Him to death. Yet the sinner who makes after Him in humility has chosen a wholesomer part than the one that is proud in his virtue; since the humble repentance of the one washes away uncleanness, but the pride of the other contaminates his own virtue." This quote reminds us that humility is the key to following the path of God, even if we have strayed from it.

Biological parents cannot be virgins and "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth," but they may strive for humility in the practice of their authority in leading and guiding their children into Heaven. Through parental humility, their children may learn and accept the virginal life and "follow the Lamb." The parental goal is to lead their lambs (children) to the Lamb (Jesus Christ). Parents who are restrained from going may guide and direct their children to approach and enter. This responsibility of guiding children is a powerful and empowering role for parents.

Virgins cannot be biological parents, though they may become spiritual ones. Living in the celibate state of virginity, virgins must strive all the more for humility because pride and vanity impede them from following "the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." Virgins in authority should look to Mary and Joseph and imitate the virginal authority that God had given them. Virgins in obedience are called upon to follow Mary's obedience, but even more so, they are asked to follow and imitate the virginal obedience of Jesus. As Jesus is the Greatest and He became the Least, so virgins are called to the higher state but must become the least through humility and obedience. This emphasis on humility in spiritual growth should motivate us to cultivate this virtue in our lives.

To honor the Holy Family, let us seek to imitate them as closely as our current station in life permits. Pray for the grace to fulfill our obligations to humbly lead, follow, command, obey, teach, or learn. Pray for our children that they may follow the vocation God wishes for them to follow. We need good, humble biological parents, but we are in even greater need of good, humble virgins to become spiritual parents and guides for others in this world as they truly follow the "Lamb whithersoever He goeth."

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!