Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Peace and Joy in Our Lord Jesus!

I find today’s Gospel passage to be incredibly powerful. This print depicts the moment Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the Temple. In the image, both Joseph and Mary embrace Our Lord. Mary’s face is pressing in on the face of Jesus. She seems to be filled with a sense of relief. Joseph’s face has a look of concern and focus, perhaps realizing the fullness of what just happened. Both Mary and Joseph embrace the young boy they lost sight of in the crowd. In this moment, they were the suffering family.

Suffering is hardly foreign to the Holy Family. Even at the birth of Our Lord, there was suffering. The Holy Family was in a stable, a cave that was for animals, because there was no room for them at the inn. Hardly ideal. Then the Holy Family must flee to a foreign country to avoid the king who wants to kill Jesus. Jesus was still an infant and already, there is so much trouble. Surely there was another way! Couldn't God just provide an inn for them. Couldn’t God have just "taken care" of Herod? Why did God allow the Holy Family to suffer?

This question is not an academic one for most of us. Haven't you asked yourself the same question, in the context of a family crisis? In fact, the real test of our faith happens when we come face to face with some sort of injustice or undeserved illness, some crisis in our family -- an unexpected death, an accident, physical or emotional abuse, someone slanders you, your health or your employment fails, and God seems to turn a deaf ear. You may have or are currently asking the question: why did this happen?

The answer to this haunting question is hidden within this passage. Yes, God could have provided an inn for the Christ child to be born in, but He didn’t. Yes, God could have bumped off Herod and solved Mary and Joseph's problem, but He didn't. Perhaps this hardship was necessary for their growth in holiness as they experience a time of total dependence and trust on God. Yes, even Mary and Joseph had to learn these things!

All wisdom for us can ultimately be found at the foot of the Cross and in Our Lord. Jesus will not fully answer our deepest questions about why difficult or tragic things happen in this life. Instead, He offers us His very own sacrifice, which He makes present to us and our families in the Mass. Yes, somehow, it was necessary for the Lord to go through His own sufferings, innocent though He was. Because He has also suffered so much for us, we in turn can suffer for Him. Our sufferings have meaning, even before we understand why they were necessary, because our Lord's suffering had meaning. It is at the foot of the cross that we will find the answers we need in this life.

So, on this Feast of the Holy Family, if you and your family face obstacles and suffering as we approach the New Year, know that all is not lost! In fact, in Jesus, nothing is lost. Hope is always available to those who believe and trust that Christ has come to save us. Even when all seems lost, Our Lord draws close. He is with us in our struggles… to strengthen the weary heart and to ease our burdens. “Cast your worries upon Him for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

My heart is filled with joy and gratitude for all God is doing in our parish. May our Patroness, most powerful St. Bernadette obtain for each of us the grace to one day meet God face to face and may Our Lady be our solace and guide in every endeavor, joy, and trial! And may the Holy Eucharist be our wisdom and strength!

God Bless,

Fr. Don Kline

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