Robert J. Hater

The story of Jesus in the Temple tells us that one’s primary family is not our only goal. Another responsibility, one for which our family can prepare us, is the call to follow God in fulfilling our unique mission. In responding to God’s call, we sometimes feel it necessary to do something that will not be understood by family members. Responding to this inner urge can be difficult, especially when close bonds tie together family members. Indeed, the decisions we make as a result of God’s call may cause other family members turmoil and may even lead to ruptured relationships.

Being poor does not, in itself, guarantee inner freedom. Poor people can be imprisoned by bitter and resentful feelings. To become spiritually free, we must first become poor in spirit by trusting God, no matter what life brings. To be poor in spirit requires an attitude of simplicity, as we open our arms and heart, like a trusting child, to our ever present, loving God.

Often, the desire to reach out to others begins in our home. Gospel values need to be incorporated into day-to-day family life as much as they need to be lived out by God’s larger family. The simplicity needed to appreciate God’s love helps us appreciate how our immediate families connect with God’s larger family. All earthly families merge and find their common identity in God.

Holy people testify to God’s holiness. Alone, humans cannot show God’s holiness. Too much evil, injustice, and pain exist in the world for individuals alone to manifest God’s goodness. That is why the Hebrew Scriptures say that we are saved together. In this process, we need God’s grace. The communal dimension of God’s salvation is felt most strongly in family bonds. Family members need one another as they move toward salvation.

The circumstances surrounding Jesus’s birth into an imperfect world contain implications for contemporary families. God is present to all kinds of people—abandoned spouses and children, families who leave their countries because of political or economic turmoil, the poor, the wealthy, non‑Christians, and Christians alike, people living in poverty, unwed mothers and fathers, or those suffering the anguish of separation and divorce.