To grow in holiness in 2012

At Christmas time we are reminded of the glory of God in the words sung by the angels. Holiness and glory do go together but in quite an enigmatic way.

Holiness is related to the Christ child, to the Holy Family and also in the week after Christmas to the Holy Innocents, those innocent babies slain by a jealous king fearful of losing his throne and his power. A meaningful tradition over the years too in some places has been the singing of Te Deum, the hymn of praise to God’s glory on New Year’s Eve as thanksgiving for the year past.

Words have interesting meanings and connotations. Holy does mean sanctified, saintly. Another meaning is whole, wholesome and complete, without imperfection to diminish its value.

This year unfortunately we miss out on Holy Family Sunday unfortunate because it is the only feast that particularly celebrates the family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus together. There are many other feast days for them individually but a family is more than a number of individuals.

I have always valued the idea, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It might not be a mathematical concept, but is certainly one that the United Nations recognises and is built into the SA Family Policy, which is still in draft form for general consultation. It is stated that policies should recognise the needs of individuals while recognising that they are also members of families.

We could consider that the holiness of the Holy Family lies in their individual qualities, but also very much in their unity in their relationships. We know very little of St Joseph, but Pope Benedict in various talks presented him as a model to husbands and fathers, a model of faithfulness, commitment and humility. The men of the St Joseph’s Sodality active in parts of our region do have him as their patron and model and one wonders how many fathers, foster-fathers and stepfathers have him as their model too.

The need to consider the place of men, not only in the Church but especially in their families, has been identified as a focal area for the family apostolate for the year ahead. Recent research has noted that only a third of South Afrcan children spend most of their childhood years with their biological father, and yet the majority of those fathers are alive somewhere.

It is not just a straightforward question of challenging those men to be true fathers to their children, because they are likely in other relationships, possibly have other children, or may be working away from home to be able to provide for their families.

The issue needs to be explored more deeply in the months ahead, together with parenting and later in the year a general focus on marriage and its many aspects. Promoting all this will be the work of the SACBC Family Life Desk, of others in the family apostolate and of the whole Church as Family of God.

The recent document from the Second Synod for Africa stresses that reconciliation, peace and justice are the concern of the whole Church. In 2011, the Family theme has been Peace on Earth Begins at Home. Reconciliation too begins in the intimate relationships in our families. Parents spend endless hours telling their kids: Say sorry to your brother or sister. Do we do the same? Couples receive the grace of forgiveness as one of the graces of matrimony.

Day by Day with God and Family will be the theme for 2012. New Beginnings, starting in January, is a perfect opportunity to begin or otherwise to build on the already strong relationships in the home. It is a time of new beginnings and so we reflect on the beginning of life, of a new school and work year.

Pray that no more Holy Innocents, begotten in the midst of holiday madness will lose their lives. Pray that through the way families live their lives as fully and completely as possible they will be holy families too and so reveal the glory of God. With St Ireneaus we say: The glory of God is people fully alive.

And our family prayer for 2012, built into the family year planner and the reflection booklets points the way: Day by day, Oh dear Lord, three things I pray. To see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly and follow thee more nearly. In that way, in spite of our imperfections, may we grow in holiness and so give glory to God.