Dear Kianna,

What can the Holy Family teach me about giving to others?

– Hopeful Seeker

 

Dear Hopeful,

As followers of Jesus, we are asked to give ourselves to others, imitating Christ’s example of giving himself on the cross and in the Eucharist at every Mass.

This is not an easy road, as giving requires sacrifice — lots of it! Yet it is precisely in these sacrifices that you and I become the people God created us to be.

In recognizing this great task, St. John Paul II said, “There is no place for selfishness — and no place for fear! … Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice.”

The Holy Family — Jesus, Mary and Joseph — can be our guide to giving with love and sacrifice, without expecting anything in return.

Mary was called by the Lord as a teenager to be the instrument through which God would become man and enter into our human world. She humbly embraced her calling, giving the gift of her life and bearing the Christ Child in acceptance of God’s plan, which totally changed the course of humanity.

St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and earthly father of Jesus, was called by God to be the protector and guardian of Jesus and Mary, leading them with love and strength through the joys and challenges of everyday life.

Together, Mary and Joseph faced difficulties and dangers and must have made many sacrifices. They gave their lives to the Lord and to each other, as Jesus journeyed to the cross to complete the most sacrificial gift of all time: the total offering of his life for the salvation of our souls.

The Holy Family shines light on this truth:  The more we give of our lives, the more we gain. Or as the famous prayer of St. Francis of Assisi teaches: “It is in giving that we receive.”

It’s hard to imagine at times, right?

But in giving, we grow in holiness and become the men and women God created us to be, modeled in his own heart.

When we struggle to give in our relationships or during our daily lives, we can ask for the Holy Family’s guidance to help us grow to be saints and disciples for the Lord’s kingdom.

I invite you to take an honest look at your life and ask: How am I giving and offering my life to others each day?

May the Holy Family be our guide, inspiration and model as we embark on this great quest of discipleship.