Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Mary’s of the Lake:

This past Sunday we celebrated the Feast of the BAPTISM OF THE LORD, which is seen as a formal ending of our Christmas Season. At the same time it is the beginning of the Church Ordinary Time. As you may recall, Christmas Season includes 3 main phases: ADVENT focusing on Preparation, CHRISTMASDAY and days after focusing on Celebration, and THEEPIPHANY focusing on Manifestation (of Jesus to Jews & non- Jews, to people near & far). Indeed, our Lord was born for all. You may also recall, just a few days after Christmas Day (December 27 to be exact) we celebrated the FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY.

Speaking of the HOLY FAMILY, we may be tempted to see the Holy Family as not really part of our human family. They were often portrayed in the holy pictures as so holy, so perfect, so unreal: All wearing shining haloes. However, looking behind those perfect pictures, we have to say that:Despite their unique positions & missions in God’s plan ofsalvation, the Holy Family (from the human point of view) also shared the same common lot with all the ups & downs of all human families! Both Joseph & Mary were poor, simple people --leading a common, simple life in an ordinary family. However, this poor & ordinary couple was HOLY in a sense that they always wanted to discern & fulfill the Will of God. With the grace of God, together they helped create an atmosphere in the family appropriate for the development of the child Jesus, especially in the 3 major areas: wisdom, age and grace.

Oftentimes when I visited a family, I easily saw a nice family picture on the wall of the living-room. The portraits were usually done professionally& almost perfectly:
Everyone looked so very nice, so good, and so perfect... just as the picture of the Holy Family, which looks so nice, so goodand perfect. However, we know, behind the ‘perfect’ family picture is the ordinary, day-to-day living of our families with all the ups & downs of life: Life of joy & excitement, satisfaction & fulfillment as well as struggles, dissatisfaction & un-fulfillment, etc. But we are all called to discern & fulfill the Will of God. With the grace of God, parents & older people are called to create & nourish an atmosphere in the family, appropriate for the development of the children –especially in the 3 major areas: age, wisdom & grace. Children are called to honor their parents and the elderly. Husbands and wives are called to love & care for one another. All families are indeed called to be holy --with the grace of God. May it be so!

Fr. Philip