Tomorrow, as our Christmas celebrations continue, the liturgy observes the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. This is a day to remember the special role the Holy Family had in God’s plan for salvation. It is also a time to reflect on our own family life. It’s a day on which we can think about how we can strengthen communication between all family members, how to heal family wounds and walk with one another in daily life.
In my office in Wilmington, I have pictures of my family. I have my parents, sisters, nieces and nephews. I also have an image of my religious family - St. Francis, St. Jane, Blessed Louis Brisson and our Oblate founders. There is one picture of a nun who is not a member of the Salesian family or of the Visitation Order. That photograph is of my great aunt, Sister Rosalette Szamburska, CSFN (a member of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth). The Sisters of the Holy Family are called to extend the Kingdom of God’s love by imitating the spirit of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. They do this in many ways, but their primary mission is to care for families.
The picture of Sr. Rosalette reminds me that I am part of many families. I have my family of origin and my religious family. Even though the Oblates have a unique charism, I realize that all religious families learn from one another. St. Bernard of Clairvoux, a Cisterian monk, often said: “I admire all religious orders. I belong to one of them by observance but to all of them by charity. We all need one another. The spiritual good which I do not own and possess, I receive from the others.” The life and prayer of all religious communities lift up the entire church.
I have learned from the Sisters of the Holy Family since I was a child. Sister Rosalette would visit my home when she was back in Philadelphia and she was a visible witness that women and men could dedicate their lives to serving God and the Church and still be a part of their original family.
After high school, I attended Holy Family College, was taught by the sisters, and saw first-hand the value they placed on education, family and faith. Today I continue my relationship with many members of the CSFN community. They remind me that our common way of life is a way that we can connect with families and with one another.
As we celebrate the Christmas season, a season of family and faith, let us take time to focus on our own vocation. Christianity is all about connections and relationships. Saint Francis de Sales reminds us that we all have a vocation, we are all called to do God’s will and to put the Gospel into practice. My hope is that we can see in our religious communities, our parishes and our families the ways we can do this each day. By living, loving and learning from one another, we can make Jesus present on the earth again. We can make the world holy. We can make our family holy.
