THE HOLY FAMILY: FAITH, OBEDIENCE, AND LOVE IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY
Homily for the Feast of Holy Family, Year A Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 A young couple once said to me, half-jokingly and half-seriously, “Father, if only family life were as peaceful as that of the Holy Family.” They had just come through a sleepless night with a sick child, rising bills, and lingering tensions. Their remark, however, reveals a common misunderstanding: the belief that the Holy Family was holy because their life was easy. The Feast we celebrate today gently corrects that illusion. Holiness in Nazareth did not come from the absence of struggle, but from faithfulness to God in the midst of uncertainty, danger, and displacement. The Gospel (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23) presents us with a family on the move - forced migration, fear of violence, and an insecure future (just like many families in Nigeria). Joseph is warned in a dream; the child’s life is threatened; Mary must flee with her infant son. This is not a ro...
