Project BLACK MAMBA: The Feast of the Holy Family

Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
'Tis the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, & Joseph: Holy Family-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

The primary purpose of this feast is to present the Holy Family as a model for Christian families.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, & Joseph
The Book of Sirach, chapter three, verses two thru six, twelve, thirteen, & fourteen;
or, the Book of Genesis, chapter fifteen, verses one thru six & chapter twenty-one, verses one thru three;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-eight, verses one & two, three, & four & five;
or, Psalm One Hundred Five, verses one & two, three & four, five & six, & eight & nine;
The Letter to the Colossians, chapter three, verses twelve thru twenty-one
(or, the Letter to the Colossians, chapter three, verses twelve thru seventeen);
or, the Letter to the Hebrews, chapter eleven, verses eight, eleven, twelve, seventeen, eighteen, & nineteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter two, verses twenty-two thru forty
(or, the Gospel according to Luke, chapter two, verses twenty-two, thirty-nine, & forty).

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. The Gospel presents the life of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as a model for our families.

We spend a lot of time worrying about our family’s welfare. Will we have enough money to send the kids to the best schools? Will they find and establish a lucrative career? Will they fit into polite society?

But the only question that finally matters is: have they found their mission from God? The family is meant to be, as John Paul II described it, an ecclesiola, a little Church. And the Church’s purpose is to discern and foster the missions of its people.

What makes a family holy is its capacity to surrender itself to a higher goal, as in Aristotle’s definition of friendship. When the family turns in on itself, it devolves into dysfunction. "If you love someone, set them free," says the famous quotation attributed to American writer Richard Bach. The holy family is one that is free for God’s work.

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Video reflection by Jeff Cavins: Encountering the Word.

Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D.: Breaking the Bread.

Mass Journal: Week One
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

There are 1.2 billion [1,200,000,000] Catholics in the world. There are sixty-seven million [67,000,000] Catholics in America—that's at least fifteen million [15,000,000] more people than it takes to elect an American president. And every single day the Catholic Church feeds, houses, & clothes more people, takes care of more sick people, visits more prisoners, & educates more people than any other institution on the face of the earth could ever hope to.

Commentary: 'Tis not quite yet the New Year, but 'tis the season for a new Mass Journal. I am considering, for next year, beginning a new Mass Journal on the First Sunday of Advent—the first day of the new liturgical year—instead of on the Sunday closest to New Year's Day.

Otherwise, 31 December would be the festival of Saint Sylvester I, Pope (died 335), thirty-third Bishop of Rome: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pontiff.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

St. Sylvester was elected pope in 314. he contributed greatly to the expansion of the Church after the peace of Constantine. He is the first saint not a martyr to be venerated in the Church.

'Twould also be the festival of Saints Melania the Younger (circa 383-439) & Pinian, Religious (circa 381-438, A.K.A. Valerius Pinianus): Saint-link Mike & Wikipedia-link Mike, Saint-link Papa & Wikipedia-link Papa.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Jean-François Régis, Priest, S.J. (1597-1640, Anglicized as John Francis Regis): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Saint Quote o' the Day
From "Heroes' Words" in 54-Day Basic Training in Holiness by Father Richard Heilman:

"Let your old age be childlike, & your childhood like old age; that is, so that neither may your wisdom be with pride, nor your humility without wisdom."
—St. Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of the Church (354-430, feast day: 28 August)

A Humble Contribution to the New Evangelization
The Popish Plot—Saintly Sunday: "Santa Stories, Part 2"