Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

December 30, 2016. 
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Readings: 1 Sir 3:2-6, 12-14; Responsorial Psalm PS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5; Col 3:12-21 & Gospel Matthew 2:13-15,19-23.

Theme: Standing Up for the Family.

The Family Institution is suffering a backlash in our age no thanks to the upsurge of gay rights, single parenthood, individualism and exaggerated freedom. The human race may be at the verge of extinction since some people are opting for pleasure for its own sake without the corresponding responsibility that goes with it.                                      

Amidst this sad development, our liturgy presents us with the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as a prototype for all Christian families. Any family, either nuclear or extended is made up of father, mother and children with each member having his or her rights and responsibilities. Our reflection will centre around four things - the responsibility of parents to their children, the responsibility of children to their parents, the responsibility of one parent to another and the responsibilities of parents to both the Church and the State.   
                         

The Matthean account of how the Blessed Virgin Mary and Joseph saved the life of the Child Jesus by taking him to Egypt to escape Herod’s wickedness sets the tune for a reflection on the duties and responsibilities of parents towards their children. St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor outlines four duties that parents ought to perform for their children:

1. The provision of food;

2. The provision of shelter;

3. The provision of clothing and,

4. The provision of education - both civic and religious.

If parents fail in adequately providing these, they make their children vulnerable and insecure resulting in low self-esteem and its concomitant evil of delinquent behaviour.                                            

To ensure this, our liturgy calls us to stand against child-labour or trafficking. It urges us to rise up and condemn situations that make children destitute in the name of religion. The sight of a bee of almajiris roaming the streets without shelter and struggling for stale food dumped in refuse heaps around Northern-Nigeria does not speak well of anyone worth the dignity of a human being.                     

Also, Ben Sirach invites children to honour their parents. Note that the reading gives some blessings to children who obey their parents:

1. He stores up riches who reveres his mother;

2. Whoever honours his father is gladdened by children;

3. Who obeys his parents is heard when he prays;

4. Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;

5. He who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother;

6. Kindness to a father will not be forgotten and,

7. Kindness to parents is firmly planted against the debt of a child’s sins.

Little wonder, allegiance to one’s father and mother is the only commandment that is attached with a blessing. Put in proper perspective, the first reading outlines the responsibility of children to their parents. In sum, these duties touch on respect, obedience and taking care of them when they are old. It must be said that children ought to bear in mind that they are duty-bound to maintain a good family name and make their parents proud. A silent commandment for every child is, “Do unto your parents as you would like your children to treat you.”            

Meanwhile, a man must be responsible for his wife and vice versa. When parents unite, they form a synergy to train their children in the way that pleases the Lord. Again, the monsters of single parenthood and gayism are putting a clog in the wheel of progress regarding family life. Isn’t it strange that some who are gay want to adopt children? The question is, “Whose children do they want to adopt? Don't tell me about artificial insemination. You have to get a donor. At least those fighting for this cause are not clones from these embryonic experiments.                             

What makes a home and a Christian home at that is the presence of a father, a mother and children (except for childless parents) - of cause, there are deceased spouses in which case single parents are left to raise kids. This still does not invalidate the point about father, mother and children as necessary members who form a trinity in the home as endorsed by divine plan.                  

Also, parents have to fulfil their duties to the state as law-abiding citizens. This entail raising their kids well - the provision thereof, of basic education and a descent accommodating are necessities of life the government must either provide for her citizens or urge parents to provide for their children - this is the secret of civilisations.

Civilisations are products of a joint-venture between citizens and government. Lazy parents are a shame to both the Church and the State because they would be rearing problem for society. As much as parents pay their allegiance to the state, they also ought to fulfil their obligations to the Church, one of which is to raise children with high moral standards.                                

The second reading calls on wives to be submissive to their husbands and husbands to love your wives by avoiding any bitterness towards them. It also charges children to obey their parents in everything as it pleases the Lord.        

As we celebrate the Holy Family today, we ask God to help parents to put up with delinquent children and those who are not measuring up in academics or in life generally. Jesus’ parents didn’t give up on him; they made efforts to save his life from Herod. We also pray for children to be obedient to their parents as exemplified by Christ. May we all be united one day with the First Family in the Kingdom of Our Father as we stand up for our individual families and the family of God which is the Church. Happy Feast Day!