The Holy Family: A model for today’s family

Father Kosisko said understanding the Holy Family begins with the Nativity scene.

“One of the things I reflect upon during the Feast of the Holy Family is how we want
to be described as a family,” he said. “In communities, we may know one family as the ‘loud family,’ or the ‘loner family,” or the family down the street as the ‘holy family,” whose children are out in the community raking leaves or helping others out in some way. I always hope we would be able to describe families that way, one that prays, is forgiving and loves one another.

“The home should be the principal place of catechesis. Unfortunately, many families today allow the Church to fill that role alone. The home of Nazareth, in addition to the local synagogue, would have been the place of instruction for the Christ child. The Holy Family
taught Jesus how to read, and at the start of his public ministry Jesus would read from the scroll and declare the passage to be fulfilled.

“Mary and Joseph would have taught the Christ child how to pray, especially the Shema, and years later Jesus would teach his disciples how to pray with the Our Father.”

Father Kosisko said he encourages people to put themselves in one of the roles when viewing the Nativity —  angels, shepherds, townspeople and others.

“I think all of us can relate in a beautiful way to all the characters, especially blessing the newborn child and the role of the family — especially in difficult times when you need that grace and the light born into the world.”