December 29, 2019

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

 “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know I must be in my Father’s house?”

This week’s Marian images are connected with two of the feasts: St. John the Evangelist (December 27), and the Holy Family (the Sunday after Christmas).

This first image is called The Holy Family with a Bird, and was painted in 1650 by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.

I love this image because it shows the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—interacting in a normal household setting, as a simple human family.  The Gospels tell us very little about Jesus’ childhood, but we can imagine that it was a joyful house.

The second image is a stained glass window showing St. John giving Communion to Our Lady.  This window is in the Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart in Georgetown University.

This is a beautiful image of Mary’s humility and love.  Although she is the Mother of Jesus, carried Him in her womb, and gave birth to Him, yet she humbly waits to receive Jesus sacramentally in the Eucharist.

Jesus made St. John a priest at the Last Supper (along with the other apostles).  Thus, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, St. John would celebrate the Mass and Mary would receive Communion from him.

May this picture inspire us in our love for Jesus in the Eucharist as well!

You are in my daily prayers.

God bless you,

Fr. VanDenBroeke