The Feast of the Holy Family Year A (2022)

When a Sunday does not occur between December 25 and January 1, this feast is celebrated on December 30 with only one reading before the Gospel.

Mass Readings for the Feast of The Holy Family Year A

• First Reading – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14: “Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and, when he prays, is heard. Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.”
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 128: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.”
• Second Reading – Colossians 3:12-22: “Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.”
• Gospel – Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23: “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”

Themes for the Feast of The Holy Family Year A

The readings for the Feast of the Holy Family Year A give us a look at the life of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The first reading speaks of the holiness of family relationships. The psalm also sings of the blessings of families. The second reading tells of how families must live in love and unity. In the gospel Joseph is once again visited by an angel and does as he is commanded in order to protect his family.

• How the actions of individual family members effect other members of the family
• Strengthening our families and communities

See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the Feast of The Holy Family Year A.

Family Circle Icebreaker Game

Family Circle is a game which works well as an icebreaker or for a lesson about relationships. It also makes sense for a meeting about human dignity. We are all members of God’s family.

A Prayer for a Blessed Home

This blessed home prayer, based on Psalm 128, which is the responsorial psalm for the Feast of The Holy Family Year A, asks for blessings on our home and family as we follow the ways of the Lord.

Herod and Joseph

From Bishop Robert Barron. “The point of our Gospel for Holy Family Sunday is to make us see a contrast between Herod, the perfect type of the anti-family man, and Joseph, the selfless protector of Mary and Jesus. Herod’s whole existence was conditioned by and predicated upon what was good for Herod; Joseph’s whole existence and behavior are conditioned by obedience to the Word of God. Herod is out for Herod; Joseph has transcended his own ego. And this makes all the difference!”

The Poverty of Christmas

From Fr. Richard Rohr of the Center for Action and Contemplation: “We clearly have a couple that is homeless and soon to be refugees or immigrants in their flight to Egypt shortly after Jesus’ birth [Matthew 2:13–15]. So where is this God revealing God’s self? Certainly not in the ‘safe’ world, but at the edge, at the bottom, among those people and places where we don’t want to find God, where we don’t look for God, where we don’t expect God. ” Continue reading.

Saving Family

From Scott Hahn. “Underlying the wisdom offered in today’s Liturgy is the mystery of the family in God’s divine plan.” Continue reading.

In a Dream

From Loyola Press. “Today we celebrate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. As we do so, our Gospel invites us to consider Joseph’s protection of Jesus in the face of danger. Just as in the announcement of Jesus’ birth, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream.” Continue reading.