He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man. On this First Sunday following the great feast of Christmas, the Church celebrates the Holy Family of Nazareth: the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. It is a feast that is celebrated as part of the Christmas festivities because after the birth of Jesus, the lives of Mary and Joseph – as are the lives of each man and woman living in the Common Era – were to be changed forever. Like in any human family, the birth of Jesus changed the configuration of how Mary and Joseph related in their house. It was no longer to be referred to as the home of Joseph and his spouse Mary only. A new relational arm was added in this household. Mary was now both a spouse and a mother. Joseph was now Mary’s spouse and Jesus’ father. This home was now the home of the parents and their child. It was now the house of the ‘folks’ of Jesus. In addition, the birth of Jesus forever changed the lives of Joseph and Mary in a unique and distinct way. For after the birth of Jesus, Mary came to be known to posterity as the Mother of God whereas Joseph became the human father and guardian of God’s only begotten Son. And most importantly, as every parent knows, having Jesus in their lives became a learning experience for Mary and Joseph, something that we believe enabled them to come to understand the special calling that the Lord had given them. Mary had to learn how to be a mother to a son that she could hardly “understand,” and Joseph had to be contented with occupying a “diminishing” place in the family as Jesus gradually became the “poster” face of the family.
Referring to the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as holy does not arise from the fact that Jesus, God-made-man, was part of this family. It would be presumptuous and very simplistic of us to think that the “holiness” of Jesus as the Son of God somehow rubbed off and influenced Mary and Joseph, and in so doing, turned them into holy individuals themselves. While it is true that there was no single moment in the life of Jesus when he was not fully human and fully divine, as a son to Mary and Joseph, he led a life typical of any boy in his village. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, experienced all the typical growing pains that any human family undergoes. However, it is how the three members of this family dealt with their challenges that make them not only a holy family but also a model for all Christian (and as a matter of fact, human) families to imitate. 
The Gospel Reading for today recounts the episode that ends the infancy narrative: the account of the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple. As devout members of their community, and as responsible parents, Joseph and Mary were committed to raising Jesus in the traditions of their religion. When Jesus became old enough to make the journey to Jerusalem, he accompanied his parents to the Holy City for the commemoration of the great feast of the Passover. When the festivities concluded, in the confusion and mix up that must have ensued as those who had come to Jerusalem for the feast dispersed for home, Jesus got separated from his parents and remained “lost” in the Temple for three days. It was a gut wrenching and anxious time for the parents. And when they finally located Jesus (who was comfortably engaged with the teachers of the law in a conversation and oblivious of what the parents were going through as they searched for him), his response to them did little to make up for the trouble he had caused them. 
Apparently, Jesus had begun to experience the early impulses of his mission and was even surprised that his parents were not aware of his destiny (why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?). While the account is silent on Joseph’s reaction, Mary did what any loving mother does: she kept everything in her heart. Even as she struggled to understand her son and what he was destined to be, she continued to trust in the guidance and help of the holy spirit in order to raise her son. On his part, Jesus – although gradually coming to understand that he was not only Mary’s son but a son and brother to many – remained a true son to May and Joseph. The Gospel accounts report that even when the parents failed to understand what his mission was, he never “lost his cool.” Even in those moments when he had to “school” them on what his mission was, he did so with humility and kindness and remained obedient to them. And this is why the favor of the Lord rested upon him. 
The Holy Family of Nazareth is given us as a model for imitation. All the members of the Holy Family of Nazareth had their respective challenges, just as we all do. However, they did not allow the challenges that came their way to prevent them from cooperating with the Holy Spirit in order to live to the full their calling. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are holy because they managed to remain in a relationship with God. They are holy because they allowed God to mold them into the persons God had called them to be. They are holy because they allowed God to remain part of their lives. May our celebration of the Holy Family of Nazareth remind us that not only have we too been called to be holy, but also that holiness is within our reach (actually holiness is our goal and end). Like the Holy Family of Nazareth, may we strive to lead holy lives. Amen.