A family praying the rosary in their Phoenix home in this undated file photo. (OSV News photo/J.D. Long-Garcia, The Catholic Sun)
Source & Summit: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, & Joseph
(The faithful) taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the source and summit of the whole Christian life, offer the Divine Victim to God, and themselves along with it.
-The Second Vatican Council fathers in Lumen Gentium, #11
Source & Summit is a feature of The Western Kentucky Catholic online, celebrating the National Eucharistic Revival: Year of Parish Revival. Intended to help Catholics of our parishes to probe the riches of our liturgical year and celebrate the liturgy well, the column will always start with the Bible readings for the Mass of the Day to help us reflect on, and help to “unpack” and expand our experiences at liturgy into the domestic church (the home) and the workplace.
Sunday reflections will be based on the Lord’s Day, the Liturgy, the Eucharist, and, occasionally, community.
Sunday, December 31, 2023:
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/123123.cfm
Sirach 3:2—6, 12—14
Psalm 128:1—5
Colossians 3:12—21
Luke 2:22—40
The feast of the Holy Family dates back to the 19th century where it was celebrated in Canada and widely celebrated by the Church in 1920. We recognize the beauty, faithfulness, and model that is shown by the Holy Family.
When we look at our own families, we may not see the same things. There may be members of our families who don’t have faith. There may be divorce, division, brokenness, or loss. We are tempted to think the Holy Family is far from us, but that’s wrong. We share experiences that unite us. How many families have had a miracle child or tragically, the loss of a child? Have we experienced judgements about our situations? Have we found ourselves with nowhere to go or found gracious people who have taken us in? The Holy Family experienced all of this.
When we look for our commonalities, we may be surprised by how much we share with the Holy Family. What we share may be our blessings and/or our burdens. Whatever the case, we have the Holy Family to look to as our guides as we ask for their intercession in our families.
-Riley Greif
To learn more about the Diocese of Owensboro’s celebration of the National Eucharistic Revival, visit https://owensborodiocese.org/eucharistic-revival/.
