Catechism L5-10 The Holy Family

Prayer Before Studying

Incomprehensible Creator, the true Fountain of light and only Author of all knowledge: vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to enlighten our understandings, and to remove from us all darkness of sin and ignorance. Thou, who makest eloquent the tongues of those that want utterance, direct our tongues, and pour on our lips the grace of Thy blessing. Give us a diligent and obedient spirit, quickness of apprehension, capacity of retaining, and the powerful assistance of Thy holy grace; that what we hear or learn we may apply to Thy honor and the eternal salvation of our own souls.

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Holy Spirit, giver of all good gifts, enter into my mind and heart. Give me the gift of knowledge, wisdom, understanding and the grace to use it wisely. Help me in all my endeavors. Give me perseverance and fortitude. Help my memory, that I may remember what I learn and recall it when necessary. Guide me in my studies. You who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, let me not be deceived by false teaching. Our Lady of Good Studies, pray for me. Amen.

Consecration to the Holy Family
O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home in Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou defend us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace, and concord in Christian love: in order that, by conforming ourselves to the divine pattern of Thy family, we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.
Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by thy kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.
O Saint Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity.

Topic/Agenda:

• The stories of the Presentation and the Finding in the Temple

• Identity of St. Joseph as the foster-father of Jesus

• Increase devotion to the Holy Family

• Feast of Sto. Niño

• Traditions vs. Word of God

The Holy Family

Presentation Of Jesus in The Temple:

In the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22–40). According to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days (inclusive) after his birth to complete Mary's ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn, in obedience to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12-15, etc.). Luke explicitly says that Joseph and Mary take the option provided for poor people (those who could not afford a lamb) (Leviticus 12:8), sacrificing "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." Leviticus 12:1-4 indicates that this event should take place forty days after birth for a male child, hence the Presentation is celebrated forty days after Christmas.

Upon bringing Jesus into the temple, they encountered Simeon. The Gospel records that Simeon had been promised that "he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:26). Simeon prayed the prayer that would become known as the Nunc Dimittis, or Canticle of Simeon, which prophesied the redemption of the world by Jesus:

    Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace; according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people: to be a light to lighten the gentiles and to be the glory of Thy people Israel (Luke 2:29-32).

Simeon then prophesied to Mary: "Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed" (Luke 2:34-35).

The elderly prophetess Anna was also in the Temple, and offered prayers and praise to God for Jesus, and spoke to everyone there about Jesus and his role in the redemption of Israel (Luke 2:36-38).

Finding in The Temple:

The episode is only described in Luke 2:42-51. Jesus at the age of twelve accompanies Mary and Joseph and a large group of their relatives and friends to Jerusalem on pilgrimage, following "the custom of the feast" - that is, Passover. On the day of their return, Jesus "lingered" in the Temple, but Mary and Joseph thought was among their group. Mary and Joseph headed back home and after a day of travel realized Jesus was missing, so they returned to Jerusalem, finding Jesus three days later.[1] He was found in the Temple in discussion with the elders who were amazed at his learning, especially given his young age. When admonished by Mary, Jesus replied "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?"

The later Jewish custom of Bar Mitzvah for boys at thirteen, considered the age at which a Jewish male would attain responsibility for learning and adhering to the commandments, is recorded some centuries after the description in Luke but may have been the reason for Jesus' visit to the temple and study of the scriptures.

The losing of Jesus is the third of the Seven sorrows of Mary, and the Finding in the Temple is the fifth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.

About the each person:

• St. Joseph as the Father
• He was the head of the Holy Family
• He loved God very much and he loved Jesus and Mary too.
• Carpenter -- He worked hard all day so he could take care of Jesus and Mary; still he was always cheerful and kind
• Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother
• She took the money that Joseph made and went to buy the food the family needs
• She baked bread, fixed meals, and made clothes
• Made the house a clean and happy place for Jesus and Joseph
• Jesus Christ as the Son
• He loves to watched Joseph at work
• He spent time helping His Mother around the house
• Just like any normal kid, He loves to tell His parents all about the things He did (games played, friends etc.)
• Jesus knew that His Heavenly Father wanted Him to do what Mary and Joseph told Him. So He always obeyed them even when He wanted to do something else.

Do you know that you and your family can belong to the Holy Family too?

• When we were baptized we became adopted children of God.
• Jesus gave Mary to us to be our Mother.

 

Saint Joseph:

• We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man -- When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they had been betrothed, he knew the child was not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God
• We know Joseph was man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the outcome.
• When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child Mary was carrying, Joseph immediately and without question or concern for gossip, took Mary as his wife.
• When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to a strange country with his young wife and the baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back (Matthew 2:13-23).
• We know Joseph loved Jesus. -- His one concern was for the safety of this child entrusted to him.
• Pope Pius IX proclaimed Saint Joseph the patron of the Universal Church in 1870 -- Patron of fathers, carpenters, and social justice
• Joseph is the patron of the dying because, assuming he died before Jesus' public life, he died with Jesus and Mary close to him, the way we all would like to leave this earth.
• unofficial patron against doubt and hesitation

 Genealogy of Jesus

The Pauline epistles, generally considered the earliest extant Christian records, make no reference to Jesus' father; nor does the Gospel of Mark, generally considered the first of the gospels. The first appearance of Joseph is therefore in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. Each contains a genealogy of Jesus tracing his ancestry back to King David, but the two are from different sons of David; Matthew follows the major royal line from Solomon, while Luke follows a minor line from Nathan, another son of David and Bathsheba. Consequently all the names between David and Joseph are different. According to Matthew "Jacob was the father of Joseph," while according to Luke, Joseph, or possibly Jesus, is said to be "of Heli." Some scholars reconcile the genealogies by viewing the Solomonic lineage in Matthew as Joseph's major royal line, and the Nathanic lineage in Luke to be Mary's minor line.

Feast of Sto. Niño (de Cebu)

Feast of Sto. Nino (de Cebu):

The Santo Niño de Cebú (Spanish: Holy Child of Cebu) is a celebrated Roman Catholic religious vested statue of the Child Jesus venerated by many Filipino Catholics who believe it to be miraculous.

In April 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, in the service of Charles V of Spain, arrived in Cebu during his voyage to find a westward route to the Indies.[1] He persuaded Rajah Humabon and his chief wife Humamay, to pledge their allegiance with Spain. They were later baptised into the Catholic faith, taking the Christian names Carlos (after Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) and Juana (after Joanna of Castile).

According to Antonio Pigafetta, Italian chronicler to the Spanish expedition, Ferdinand Magellan himself presented the Santo Niño to the newly-baptised Queen Juana as a symbol of the alliance. To her husband Carlos, Magellan presented the bust of "Ecce Homo", or the depiction of Christ before Pontius Pilate. He then presented an image of the Virgin Mary to the natives who were baptised after their rulers. Magellan died on 27 April 1521 in the Battle of Mactan, leaving the image behind. Legends say that after initial efforts by the natives to destroy it, the image was venerated as the animist creation deity Bathala. Many historians consider the facial structure of the statue made from Belgium, where Infant Jesus of Prague statues were also common.

In 1980, Filipino historian Nicomedes Márquez Joaquín wrote about the 44 years after Magellan's soldiers left before the next Spanish expedition came under Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. Joaquín said that the statue was once denounced by natives as originally brought by Magellan, but was re-inforced again by de Legaspi which the natives continued to dispute claiming that the statue came originally from their land.

On 28 April 1565, Spanish mariner Juan de Camus found the statue in a pine box amidst the ruins of a burnt house. The image, carved from wood and coated with paint, stood 30 centimetres tall, and wore a loose velvet garment, a gilded neck chain and a woolen red hood. A golden sphere, a replica of the world, was in the in the left hand, and the right hand is slightly raised in benediction. Camus presented the image to Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and the Augustinian priests; the natives refused to associate it with the gift of Magellan, claiming it had existed there since ancient times. Writer Dr. Resil Mojares wrote that the natives did so for fear that the Spaniards would demand it back. The natives’ version of the origin of the Santo Niño is in the Agipo (stump or driftwood) legend, which states that the statue was caught by a fisherman who chose to rid of it, only to have it returned with a plentiful harvest.

The statue was later taken out for procession, afterwards which Legaspi then ordered the creation of the Confraternity of the Santo Niño de Cebú, appointing Father Andres de Urdaneta as head superior. Legaspi instituted a fiesta to commemorate of the finding of the image, and although the original celebration still survives, Pope Innocent XIII moved the celebration to the Third Sunday of January to avoid conflict with Eastertide.

The Minor Basilica of Santo Nino (Spanish: Basilica Minore del Santo Niño) was built on the spot where the image was found by Juan de Camus. The parish was originally made out of bamboo and mangrove palm and claims to be the oldest parish in the Philippines. Pope Paul VI elevated its rank as Minor Basilica on its 400th year anniversary.

Filipinos celebrated the feast of Santo Nino (Child Jesus) on Jan 16 with colorful parades, fluvial processions, street dancing and other festive rites in different parts of the Philippines. In the central Philippine city of Cebu, the faithful held the “Sinulog” in honor of Señor Santo Niño, the oldest festival in the country.  Also in central Philippines, the crowds gathered for the “Ati-Atihan” in Aklan province, “Biniray” in Romblon, “Binirayan” and “Handugan” in Antique, and “Dinagyang” in Iloilo. In Southern Philippines it’s the “Pachada Senor” in Cagayan de Oro City, “Kahimunan” in Butuan City and “Zambulawan” in Pagadian City.

Questions 

• Being part of the Holy Family, are we doing our own part within our family?
• Are we following God's rules and our parents' rules just like Jesus when He is still a kid?
• Is our parents' are doing what Mary and Joseph did? Can we help them achieve that role?

Life Application:

·        Traditions (Sto. Nino Feast, Sign of the Cross) vs. Word of God (Scriptures)

o   “Commandment,” in the present context, has to do with divine revelation. It is further designated as “the word of God” (Matt. 15:6; cf. Mark 7:13).  “Commandment” is the equivalent of law (see Luke 23:56). These terms represent an obligation imposed by God, to which human beings are amenable. Violation thereof constitutes “sin” (1 John 3:4).

o   The term “tradition” renders a Greek word that signifies “instruction that has been handed down.” (Danker, p. 763). The expression may be used in a good sense, equivalent to divine commandment (1 Cor. 11:2; 2 Thes. 2:15; 3:6). In other contexts, it can denote hurtful, human traditions that are condemned (Matt. 15:3; Col. 2:8).

o   The Bible and tradition both teach that our convictions are not to be based upon human wisdom but upon the power of God and His spirit which He gives to those who obey Him!

o   Apostle Paul instruct us that our faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5)

o   The forms of tradition illustrated in the bible consist of :

§  The traditions of men - which nullify scriptures

§  The traditions of men - not supported by the holy writ.

§  The traditions from God which are in accord with, and recorded in, scripture.

o   Catholic Answers:

§  Apostolic Traditions -- the oral teaching which the apostle Paul had given Timothy

§  Paul commends good traditions (1 Cor. 11:2)

§  The first Christians "devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching" (Acts 2:42) long before there was a New Testament.

§  Paul warned, "See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ" (Col. 2:8). But these verses merely condemn erroneous human traditions, not truths which were handed down orally and entrusted to the Church by the apostles.

§  Jesus did not condemn all traditions; he condemned only erroneous traditions, whether doctrines or practices, that undermined Christian truths (Matthew 15:6–9)

o   If you feel that a tradition is causing you to sin against God then just don't do it. 

Prayer for the Help of the Holy Spirit
O God, I thank you for this day and the lessons that we have learned today.  May You send forth your Holy Spirit and stay forever into my heart that I may perceive and understand You more, into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that I may meditate.  Inspire me to speak and behave with patience, piety, holiness, tenderness and mercy. Teach, guide and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end. By Your grace, we may live and preach on the Words that You spoke to us today. May your grace ever help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with love and wisdom from on high, for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen.

References:

• Luke 2:22–40

• Luke 2:42-51:

• Holy Bible (New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition)

• Catechism of the Catholic Church

• Wikipedia

• New Advent (www.newadvent.org)

• http://www.spiritualliving360.com/index.php/the-catholic-church-and-the-color-purple-2351/

• http://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/prophets

• http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/the-immaculate-conception-8-things-to-know-and-share-.-#ixzz2pE1CAtHu