Homily 477 | Christmas – Holy Family | Year B
Christmas often creates beautiful sentimental moments of family coming together and sharing love that spans generations. But mixed in with this is the reality that our families are far from perfect and many of our relationships have been badly wounded. There is a lot of hurt in our families. There is much that cries out for healing, and that is part of Christmas too.
In today’s second reading, St. Paul pleads with his community in Colossae to be reconciled and forgive one another. “If anyone has a grievance against another, as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.” Covid has made me all the more aware that we don’t know how long we have on this earth. How long will we put off forgiving? How long will we continue to hold a grudge or refuse to be reconciled thinking that we will always have more time for that later?
The Church is so insistent on the need to be reconciled that the Scripture actually says that this healing of relationships is more important than the worship of God. If you are coming to worship and realize that you are not living at peace with someone then you need to go first and be reconciled and then come back and worship. Do we really take this command to forgive seriously?
Paul is so insistent on this because, in heaven, the only thing we will have will be our relationships. And we will be in complete unity with everyone. How can we live in this world not at peace with someone and then expect to live in perfect communion with them forever in heaven? Heaven begins now. As I have gotten more experienced in this life, I have come to find that the greatest suffering I experience now is not physical suffering, lack of health, lack of money, or any material thing. All those things will end with this life. The greatest suffering is the unhealed hurt in relationships, the pain of unforgiveness.
Our broken families are a great place to start bringing the heavenly peace of Christmas by doing our best to heal relationships that are broken. I know that this takes two people. If you are suffering because someone else won’t reconcile, continue to offer this suffering for their healing. But if you’re the one standing in they way… stop. Leave your gift at the altar now and go be reconciled. Family hurt can be passed down through generations. Hurt people hurt people, especially in families. Today, you can be the one that breaks the cycle. You can take the initiative to bring about reconciliation and peace. You can be the one to start to heal the hurt.