To watch Fr. Joe’s homily for the Feast of the Epiphany: CLICK HERE!
Thousands of years ago, all humanity was considered one family… but as time went on and generations passed, the family tree expanded to the point that division became easier to notice than unity.
And we continue to see that division, instead of unity even till our day. In religion, in politics, among nations, among groups, even in our families.
But then comes Jesus into the world…
Jesus who invites people to come together as ONE FAMILY… No matter our politics, nationality, differences…
Jesus invites us to come together as ONE FAMILY….
2000 years ago, Jesus welcomed people from all positions of life: the educated and uneducated, the rich and the poor, those with social status and those without, the Jew and those who were not Jewish…
(Remember Jesus was not Catholic, he was a Jew)
Let me suggest that today’s Feast asks us to put on the attitude of Christ, to welcome others – who ever they may be – into our lives. To see others as part of ONE family.
In the mail on Saturday came the “Growing in Faith” flyer we send to our Faith Formation families each month and I might add is also made available to the Parish in the Gathering Area of Church… In that flyer there was a short article entitled, “Give the Gift of Friendship in the New Year.”
Friendship is another way of welcoming people into our lives. Friendship allows us to grow our families, not diminish them.
Friendship was what Jesus was offering all who came into his life. Remember the Last Supper when Jesus says, “I call you friends”.
Friend
Look for common ground, accentuate the positive, become family.
May our friendships grow and our families grow as we WELCOME others into our circle of friends, into our family, into our church, into our nation and global world as Jesus did and asks us to do today in this time and place.