Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I find today’s Gospel passage to be incredibly powerful. Today we hear of Mary and Joseph fleeing with Jesus to Egypt. They are fighting to stay alive because an unhinged king is seeking the death of newborn boys. There are so many emotions as they are forced to flee from their home and all that is familiar. One can imagine the Holy Family struggling with the reality of loss, disappointment, frustration, confusion, just to name a few. Perhaps it is easy to see that they were not so unlike many other families.

I think it can be tempting to dismiss the Holy Family as almost floating through life, untouched by the troubles of the world. That is just not true. Look at the birth of Our Lord. The Savior of the world was born in a cave where animals do all the things animals do. They Holy Family are in a place that was for animals because there was no room for them in the inn. This is hardly ideal. Then the Holy Family must flee to a foreign country to avoid the king who is set on murdering children. The struggles were great and the moments of comfort and joy where fleeting. Surely there was another way! Couldn't God just provide an inn for them. Couldn’t God just "taken care" of Herod? Why did allow the Holy Family to struggle so much?

This question is not an academic one for most of us. Haven't you asked yourself the same question, in the context of a family struggles? We all come face to face with some sort of injustice or undeserved illness, some crisis in our family -- an unexpected death, an accident, physical or emotional abuse, someone slanders you, your health or your employment fails, and God can seem very distant. You may find yourself asking the question: Why did this happen?

The answer to this haunting question is hidden within this passage. Yes, God could have provided an inn for the Christ child to be born in, but He didn’t. Yes, God could have bumped off Herod and solved Mary and Joseph's problem, but He didn't. Perhaps this hardship was necessary in ways we don’t understand but for the Holy Family, they had to live in faith and with total dependence and trust on God. Perhaps it was necessary for the whole of creation to see that God desires for us to trust in Him especially in the difficult moments.

All wisdom for us can ultimately be found at the foot of the Cross and in Our Lord. Jesus will not fully answer our deepest questions about why difficult or tragic things happen in this life. Instead, He offers us His very own sacrifice, which He makes present to us and our families in the Mass. Yes, somehow, it was necessary for the Lord to go through His own sufferings, innocent though He was. Because He has also suffered so much for us, we in turn can suffer for Him. Our sufferings have meaning, even before we understand why they were necessary, because our Lord's suffering had meaning. It is at the foot of the cross that we will find the answers we need in this life.

So, on this Feast of the Holy Family, if you and your family face obstacles and suffering as we approach the New Year, know that all is not lost! In fact, in Jesus, nothing is lost. Hope is always available to those who believe and trust that Christ has come to save us. Even when all seems lost, Our Lord draws close. He is with us in our struggles… to strengthen the weary heart and to ease our burdens. “Cast your worries upon Him for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

My heart is filled with joy and gratitude for all God is doing in our parish. May our Patroness, most powerful St. Bernadette obtain for each of us the grace to one day meet God face to face and may Our Lady be our solace and guide in every endeavor, joy, and trial! And may the Holy Eucharist be our wisdom and strength!

God Bless,

Fr. Don Kline

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