About the Feast of the Holy Family Year C
Sunday December 29, 2024
The readings for the Feast of the Holy Family Year C focus on consecration, holiness, and sacred spaces. In the first reading we hear about God’s joy in us. The alternate first reading tells of how Samuel was dedicated to the Lord by his mother Hannah. The psalm speaks of family as a blessing. The alternate psalm speaks of the beauty of God’s dwelling place. In the second reading we hear that love is the perfect bond. The alternate second reading we are told that we are children of God. The gospel the story when the Holy Family went to Jerusalem and Jesus was lost and then found at the temple, which he called his “Father’s house”.
Please, each day, let us pray a little bit together to ask God for the gift of peace. And let us all commit ourselves – parents children, Church, society – to sustain, defend and safeguard the family!
Pope Francis
The Feast of the Holy Family Year C
- Sunday December 29, 2024
- Mass Readings
- Themes
Daily Mass Readings for the Feast of the Holy Family Year C
- First Reading – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14: “God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.”
- Alternate First Reading – 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28: “Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 128: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.”
- Alternate Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 84: “Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.”
- Second Reading – Colossians 3:12-21: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
- Alternate Second Reading – 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.”
- Gospel – Luke 2:41-52: “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Themes for the Gospel
This is a good time to think about our own sacred spaces – our church, our prayer space at home, and even the earth.
See more extended themes at the bottom of this post.
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Resources for the Feast of the Holy Family Year C
Have a Birthday Party for Jesus
Celebrate this feast day by having a birthday party for our Lord. Have the guests bring presents for a local charity.
Family Circle Icebreaker Game
This Family Circle icebreaker fits in well with this feast. It is all about relationships and growing your family.
Family: Your Shortcut to Holiness
Our difficult relationships with family members can help us grow in holiness.
Quotes and Social Media Graphics for the Feast of the Holy Family Year C
You are free to share with a reference to young-catholics.com . Click on the image to download full size.
Homilies and Reflections for the Feast of the Holy Family Year C
Our True Home
Our families point to the family of God being created on earth. Jesus familial bond to the Father is reflected in his relationships with his earthly parents.
Hannah, Her Son, and the Holy Family
Hannah and Mary both serve as examples of holiness. We can learn by comparing the stories of these two women.
Sunday Mass – A Gift Or An Obligation?
Is getting your family to Sunday mass a chore or a gift? Do the teens in your life resist joining you in the pew every Sunday?
Other Themes for the Feast of the Holy Family Year C
In the time of Jesus, a house could also refer to an extended family, such as the “House of David”. The head of the house made decisions regarding occupations, marriages, political positions, and more. A person’s place in the family was determined by the head.
Loyalty was highly valued in families of the time. People who were not blood relatives could establish covenant relationships with each other. We have been brought into God’s family through this sort of covenant.
Jesus made the effort to understand his place in His Father’s house. He questioned and was curious. He studied. This is how he grew in wisdom. He came to the understanding that he was the beloved and obedient Son of the Father.
We also need to find our own place in our Father’s house. And it might not always be the place we desire. Through prayer and discernment we can understand what God is asking us to do right now.
Reflection Questions for the Feast of the Holy Family Year C
- How do I try to find my place in God’s family?
- How does God show me that I am His beloved child?
- Have I ever felt like the role God was offering was not the one I would choose?
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