Holy Families

            The feast day of the Holy Family comes around each year and serves as a beautiful reminder to us all of just how important families really are.  Yes, there is the Holy Family, but there are also many holy families who are truly striving to live a good Christian life and love God and each other as best they can. For this reason, we take this opportunity to pray for families, to pray for parents and children everywhere that we all may learn to imitate the Holy Family.  On this day we also take a moment to remember in a special way our own families; we want all of you to know that we love you very much and that you are in our hearts and our prayers during this pilgrimage.

            What better way to celebrate the feast day of the Holy Family than to spend some time with a family here in the Holy Land?  A local family had invited some of us over to have dinner with them and so of course we happily agreed.  When we arrived at their house, the whole family was there to welcome us and make us feel at home.  Feeling at home when you are in a foreign land that speaks a foreign language is a very good feeling to have.  There are always those places in our lives that are a little home away from home, and this particular family seems to have a gift for making their home one of those places.  The food was excellent, a veritable feast, but the company was really what made it a special evening.  No, we didn’t eat with the Holy Family, but I’m pretty sure that we just spent this feast day with one of those holy families; with one of those holy families that reminds us that, yes, trying to live like Jesus, Mary and Joseph lived is not only possible, but a truly beautiful thing.  Thank you, God, for all the holy families that you have put into our lives.  Thank you for showing us your love through the love of a holy family.