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Luke 2:21-24. What does it take to be “Family?” For me, it means love, forgiveness, compassion, courage and sacrifice. Today we see Mary and Joseph bringing the baby Jesus to the temple to complete the purification rites according to the law of Moses. They are greeted there by Simeon, who realizes that he is in the presence of the promised Messiah, and by Anna, who has spent many years worshipping in the temple and also seems to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. What must Mary have thought when Simeon told her that a “sword would pierce her heart” even as this child was to do great things? As a mother, I am sure that every parent’s heart is pierced by a sword at some time or another. I am equally sure that every adult and child’s heart will at some time also be pierced by a sword because that is the price of love. The broader our definition of family, the more we are called to be open to suffering. We have our nuclear family, our extended family, our friends, our neighborhoods, our parish, our community and also the all-inclusive family of God. Our hearts break when we hear of tragedies even when we don’t know the people involved. We work to end violence and discrimination even when we are not the victims. The poet John Donne said it well in his poem, “No Man Is An Island.” We are all connected to each other. When Mary said, “Yes,” to the angel and Joseph welcomed Mary and the child yet to be born into his home, they both knew at some level that there would be sacrifices to make. This did not stop them from accepting what was to come. Let us all pray for our families in a special way today – living and dead, far and near, known and unknown to us, because God has called all families to be “Holy” as love abound in each home. Oh Lord bless us and our families, give us the grace to be forgiving and accepting of the fault and failings of those we love. Help us to reach out to other families who are in need. We thank you for giving us the example of Joseph and Mary and they nurtured your son, Jesu our Lord and Messiah. Amen.

Matthew 23:1-3. Of course, this could also be called, “Practice what you preach!” Today’s gospel reading gives us several directions in which to go. Humility would be another direction from the one I have chosen, but in our world today, it is so hard for children to distinguish right from wrong, that I settled on this topic.

Think of the difficulty today in teaching sexual morality to preteens and teens. I am appalled at many of the television programs that completely ignore the Scripture’s teachings and promote bed-hopping with no thought given to the damage this does psychologically to young people. Our children don’t see that there is anything wrong in that as “everybody does it these days.”

How many times have you heard parents swearing at their children for using foul language? Stealing is wrong, but it’s okay to bring home supplies from the office; lying is a sin, but I’m not going to tell you the truth if it gets me into trouble or makes you think less of me. Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites. How we would hate to have that term used for us, but we all need to take stock once in a while and do a self-check. Am I a living example of how I want my children, my grandchildren, or others who know me as a Christian to live? If the answer is “no” then what can I do to make sure that what I say, I also do. Give us the strength of Lord to follow your path and also do as you have taught and commanded us to do. Amen.

Matthew 8:28-32. The Gospel speaks of Jesus driving out demons and we are still in need of this! True, we can think of personal demons such as drug abuse and alcohol addiction etc, but what of more systemic demons such as violence and discrimination, poverty, hunger and greed. We have been commissioned as disciples of Jesus in order that we may carry on his mission. I can already hear the wheels turning: How can I make a difference? The answer is one day at a time. Every journey begins with one step at a time. For those who may be affected by a personal demon, there is help available once we recognize that we can’t do it alone but with Jesus on our side and surrending to his authority we can do it. For systemic demons, it’s a little harder, but we can choose to be part of the problem or part of the solution. Doing nothing is being part of the problem. Let’s take violence. Think about your language. Are your words hurtful or helpful? Do you put people down or raise them up? The tongue is the first line of defense when it comes to violence. We may not be able to stop the violence in the world, but we can limit it in our homes, our neighborhoods, our city, and in our local communities. Once kindness replaces violence, it will be easier to replace discrimination with respect, poverty and hunger with sufficiency and greed with temperance. We each have a role to play in driving out today’s demons, are you up to it? Lord help us to be part of solution to casting out the demons in our lives as we live each day. Help us rid ourselves of prejudice and discrimination. Give us the courage to ask for help to end our addictions and give us the strength to face the demons in the world as we work for change. Amen.

Matthew 7:7-11. Today’s gospel passage makes it seem so simple! Ask God for what you want and you’ll get it; look for what you want and you’ll find it; just knock and doors will be opened unto you. However, Jesus reminds us that God is a good father and will not give us what is wrong for us! When you were young, did you ever ask your parents for something that was just not right for you? Perhaps your children have done the same to you. You don’t give a baby a steak, nor do you give a toddler a 10 speed bicycle. You wouldn’t let your children look for milk in the cabinet where you keep your cleaning supplies. But sometimes we are looking for what we think we need in all the wrong places and wrong time. Yes, Jesus tells us to keep asking for what we need and we will receive it, but he also expects that we will be asking for the right things. We are bombarded with ads that tell us what we need to do or own in order to be happy, but are those things truly what we need to make us happy and fulfilled? Jesus tells us that we need hearts that are open to others, that we must be people of peace, love, faith, hope and forgiveness, and when we ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit, we will surely receive. When we pray, do we ask God to give us those things which He knows we need in order to be happy, or do we ask for what the media or friends and family says we need? If we leave the decisions up to God, then we will always receive what we ask for; we will find what we are looking for; and doors will open at our knock. Matthew 7:7-11.

God is watchful over us, giving His attention and care to the path He sets for us to follow, and His guidance informs our steps. This is one of the many benefits and blessings of knowing, and being known by God. For to not know Him is to take a path that leads away from Him and a path of destruction we build for ourselves, which can only lead to ruin and damnation. Psalm 1:6.

Do you pray to know God’s will for our life? We need to ask for guidance as well as listen to his voice for answers as we live Each day. Each of us is called for a specific purpose. It’s true that we may never know the full extent of our purpose during our lifetime, but that doesn’t excuse us from trying and putting in our effort as we study his word to find our path and purpose . Perhaps some of you here are being called to the ministry. Most will be called to marriage. Perhaps your gifts call you to the work in the medical field, or as lawyers or teachers or waiters. Beyond that, all should consider how we are being called to serve within the community we live in. We are all called to work for Christ and showcase his likeness in us. I understand that calls to serve come at different times to different people and certainly working to provide for and care for a family is a top priority and should be. That priority includes instructing in and modeling our faith to people we meet everyday. Children need to know that God loves them and has a plan for them as well. Many families work together to gather food or clothing, and also help the poor. Parents can also help their children by pointing out the gifts God has given them and encouraging them to use them to the glory of God. We all have gifts. We won’t all be great athletes, musicians or painters. But God has a plan for us that uses the gifts we have been given. Thankfully, many are gifted as mechanics, electricians, plumber and so on. The important thing is acknowledging that God does have a plan for us that no one else can fulfill and that we seek to hear his voice in all we do as we strive to live each day and our lifestyle glorifying him and acknowledging him in all that we do. Proverbs 3:6.

The first thing Andrew did after meeting Jesus was to tell his brother the good news. Were you as excited as Andrew to tell others when you first came to know Jesus? How about now? Sometimes, we lose that excitement over time. But with every answered prayer, every new beginning, God gives us an opportunity to reclaim- and proclaim- his word and our excitement all over again as we continue to spread the good news to those we come across as we go on with our daily activities in life. John 1:14.

Some seasons of life are tough to endure and walk by. When we struggle, we look to God for a quick solution, but He calls us to be patient as He builds us up in faith and in his love. So what do we do? We rest in His love, building our hope and faith in him, studying his word to give us strength to surmount the phase, and trusting that He has not abandoned us as we look forward to the fulfillment of His promise and His liberating mercy. Jude 1:21. Lord, thank You for loving us and sustaining us. As we feel the weight of our burdens, we pray that You will give us eyes to see Your hand at work. Help us to remember Your love that covers us in danger, bears the weight of our struggles, and comforts us through storms. Please keep us close to you, so that we may endure until You fully set us free by Your mercy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

While we have all sinned, we must recognize that true repentance comes from turning back to God completely. For those who have backslidden or turned their backs on God, they will only find forgiveness when they return to the Lord whole heatedly. Furthermore, we cannot save ourselves. In order for our hearts and minds to be transformed and restored, we must seek the Lord, for only He can renew us. Much like we hear people reminiscence about “the good old days, ” this verse refers to the feeling one has of peace and goodness that follows once his spirit has been restored and renewed in Christ. Lamentation 5:21.

Holiness is a lofty ideal. In fact, it is downright impossible for us to be holy on our own. Yet, God’s own holiness demands holiness of us. So how do we do it? We let God impart His holiness on us, according to His grace. Just as He called us to holiness, He supplies the holiness that we need when we surrender to His will and live by His Spirit. 1 peter1:15.