The life and witness of the Holy Family of Joseph and Mary is a model for all the Christian families for participating in the ministry of the Kingdom of God. It is inspiring to remember the 'cross' carried by Joseph and the 'sword' pierced through the soul of Mary to participate in the Slavic activity of God. The great leadership of James, the brother of Jesus, in organizing the early Church according to the will of the Holy Spirit challenges us for the Ministry of Reconciliation in the Church and outside the Church. Being the members of a visionary and missionary home, they contradicted the sins of Adam and his family.
Righteous Husband and a Visionary Wife ( Mat. 2: 24)
Though we acknowledge the dedication of Mary to bear the 'disgrace' through the grace she received we see the obedience of Joseph to share the vision of his wife. A just and righteous man (Mat. 1:19) ony could fulfill such a grateful call. He was ready to take initiative in knitting together their life for the Kingdom of God.
Partnership in life always means sharing of vision for the glory of God. May be because of the peculiarity of our culture male initiative is very important in family life. Some times male dominates female and insists for such an initiative. But many husbands entrust the responsibility of family prayer, spiritual nurturing of the children, charitable activities etc. in the hands of their partners. Equal interest and participation is needed for preparing a family for the ministry of the Kingdom of God. I have seen partners, both husbands and wives, who discourage the enthusiasm and initiative of partner for the Kingdom of God. Though they are criticized for their Male Domination Theory Promise Keepers' a new male organisation in America gives new hope to the coming generation in resorting the Kingdom values in American Family Life. Righteous men and graceful women always fulfill the ministry of the Lord.
Sacrificial Love: Foundation of the Home
The first few years of the family life of Joseph and Mary was completely immersed in distress and pain. The order of Caesar Augusts, without providing enough facilities for the accommodation of the people coming from distance, to register Their names carried Joseph and Mary to suffer in body and mind. They failed to get a 'room' for protection. The inhuman and negative response of the innkeepers made them to find out a manager. But in such a situation they upheld the vision for the Kingdom. That vision united them to confront the unjust structures of law and order. They were able to face the realities of the 'commercial culture' of the their time.
Joseph shared the mental agony of Mary by nursing her and the child at the manager. He might have been the 'midwife' at the side of his wife. He wrapped the child in the old liner cloths and laid him at the manager. He forgot his pain by looking in the eyes of the child, and by nursing his wife.
Even after the glorious visits and gifts if the wisemen, they were firced to move much more away from their own land. Because of the brutality and selfishness of the ruler, they were asked to depart from the 'Promised Land' to the 'Exile Land' for protection. For a Jewish family, the first born was a symbol of security and protection but for Joseph and Mary, the Child Jesus, was a source of insecurity to their own life. With the Child, they shared the suffering and crisis of an uprooted family in an outside country. But they saw the child as the embodiment of the heavenly vision they have received. Their comfort was in the presence of the child.
Christian family is placed in a multi-cultural and secular world with the threat of commercial culture, in human relationships, political and religious exploitation. To own a house, to be protected from different kinds of abuses, to keep dignity and self respect, protection of human rights etc. are very difficult for ordinary people in this 'advanced world'. Problems of immigrants and uprooted families are increasing. Numbers of refugee camps are increasing. In the midst of all these adversities only the sacrificial love of family members will each other to stand firm and strong. We need to see the embodiment of our vision in our children. That will comfort us, inspire us to face the difficulties.
Trust and confidence: Foundations of Relationship in a home
The Child of Jesus grew and become strong; he was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him ( Lk. 2:40). He was obedient to his parents (Lk.2:51). Jesus was influenced by the values of a Jewish family, with strong relationship to God and to parents. Parents are nurtured him to grow in wisdom. This ideal relationship created confidence in the mind of his parents. It was exposed at the time of the beginning of Jesus public ministry. At Cana in the crisis of another home, Mary expressed her trust and confidence in her son. She not only approached her son to help them, but also said to the servants " Do what ever he tells you". Jesus` in turn respected his mother and fulfilled her confidence in him.
Lack of trust, confidence and recognition make many families to break their relationship. Grace of God and human wisdom make people to accept each other. Without trust and confidence in children parents want to choose carriers and partners for them. Children are able to perform miracles if we recognise them in their own level of understanding in turn children should also respected the advice of the parents as they are coming from experience.
Responsibility of involvement:
Mission of the family Joseph and Mary took the child and presented him to the Lord at the temple according to the Law. When he was Twelve, according the custom they took him to the temple. This made him not to be a spectator in his community, but to be a participant. He participated in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening them and asking them questions (Lk. 2:46)
Parents made Jesus to be exposed to the community he was aware about the pain and suffering of the poor, which in turn made him to start with the Nasreth Manifesto. The spirituality thought and practiced at his home might have made him to accept the disturbance of accepting the marginal and those who were at the periphery. It made him to negate imposing his own ego upon humanity at the time of temptation. He saw the beauty of relationships in the cross.
His mother made him to involve in the crisis of home. The selfishness of Adam and Eve expressed in act of their son Cain, killing his own brother and become restless, with the restlessness of withdrawing from the community was solved in the act of Mary. The sacrificial love of Joseph and Mary made Jesus to save his brothers and sisters as a restless person, with the restlessness of involving in the community. His cross is the climax of his involvement in the decision of the destiny of God`s creation.
Christian parents are trying to make their children to be more `spiritual` so that they may be protected from the evils of the time. Some times they may help to children to acquire enough General knowledge about the contemporary world. They may help to analyse the social issues and problems for academic purpose. Sometimes we may teach them to give money for charity and evangelistic work, without any direct involvement. We orient them to study for the sake of making their life safe and secured. What about the social commitment and involvement? Are we making our children competitors instead of being meaningful participants. Without sharing the pain and suffering of God's disfigured creation we are away from the values of the Kingdom. Each family is called to involve in proclaiming the goodness the poor, healing the sick, casting out the 'demons' and protecting the equilibrium of the creation. Family ministry is a term ministry of disciples.
James, the brother of Jesus (Gl.1: 19) was instrumental brining peace between Jewish Christiana Gentile Christians at the Jerusalem Council. He was one of the pillars of the early Church who defined the moral and ethical obligation of the Church in the secular world. Our family heritage and social status should make us to involve in crisis and make reconciliation in a broken world.
We see Christians involve in community for ego satisfaction. That will worsen the situation and will bring disgrace to the Lord. Without taking our own cross, God is not allowing us to involve in the community.
A Christian family has a two fold mission one in his own family and another outside the family. A righteous husband and a graceful visionary wife experience the sacrificial love in day to day life, help the family members to build up trust and confidence to face any adverse situation in the their life A Christian home is a workshop for God to train his servants to involve in the community life in a manner of spreading the values of the Kingdom. Presence of a Christian family itself is a witness for God and his Kingdom. Yes, it is a team ministry for God.