In this month of the Holy Family, as we move closer to the death and resurrection of Jesus, we should reflect on our relationship with God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the family who were denied lodging at the inn and eventually watched a loving son brutally tortured and crucified.

When you reflect on the word family, what comes to mind? Family can be those individuals related to you by blood or the group of people you have spent time building a familial relationship with as part of a community or a team. For me, family comes first, and next, those who become like blood; people I care about, including those I have come to know because of a tragedy. Family comes down to who you can count on when you need someone in your worst moment and in the Holy Family, we find a perfect example of such love.

As we enter the Lenten season, we are called to reflect on our lives and our relationships with others. Do we offer comfort when our neighbor is suffering? Do we take the opportunity to reflect on the fact that each person, created in the likeness and image of God walks the same path toward our final moment? Jesus, the Son of God, suffered the pain of death when Lazarus died. Martha and Mary were His family, and, in His reflection, He chose to perform one of His greatest miracles. If we allow ourselves to reflect on that moment, we are shown that death has no power over Jesus, and His love of a man not related to Him by blood tells us that He offers the same love to us all. We are family.

Evil in our world is working hard to separate us from each other and our relationship with God. Severing of that relationship is the only true death, as it is life away from the pure love that is God. As we reflect on the Holy Family, we remember that Joseph could have walked away from what was, at that moment, his betrothed, pregnant with another’s child. He chose family.

God Bless each of you as we continue our journey toward our Heavenly family and home.

Andrej N. Lah