Pope Benedict XVI Blog

God is Trinity, communion of love, and the family is its first and immediate expression, Pope says

» 12/27/2009 14:15
VATICAN

On the Feast Day of the Holy Family, Benedict XVI reiterates the value of marriage between man and woman as the image of God and of the education of children, seen not as “family possession” but as “God’s gift and plan.” He greets the (million-strong) crowd that took part in the Madrid Mass whose theme was “The Future of Europe is based on the Family” in opposition to the anti-family policies of the Spanish government.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – “God is trinity, he is communion of love, and the family is its first and immediate expression. Man and woman, created in the image of God, “become one body” (Gen., 2:24), that is a communion of love that generates new life. The human family thus stands as an icon of the Trinity because of interpersonal love as well as its mission to procreate life,” said Benedict XVI as he explained the values of today’s Feast Day, dedicated to the Holy Family, which falls on the first Sunday after Christmas.

He told pilgrims who had gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for the Angelus, “The first witnesses to the birth of Christ, the shepherds, found in front of them not only the Child Jesus, but also a small family: mother, father and newly born son. God chose to reveal himself by being born in a human family, thus the human family became an icon of God!”

The Pope went on to comment a passage in the Gospel from today’s Mass (Lk, 2:41-52), which tells the story of Jesus when he was left in the Temple of Jerusalem for three days before his parents found him.

“In response to his mother who asked for an explanation, Jesus said he had to be in his Father’s house, i.e. God’s house (cf Lk, 2:49). In this episode, the young Jesus appears full of zeal for God and the temple. Let us ask ourselves, who taught Jesus to love his Father’s house? Of course, his parents did. Who but they could teach him the prayers, the Commandments, respect for the Sabbath and the joy of practicing the precepts of the Lord? Who, but his father, a ‘righteous man’ (Mt, 1:19), could have taught him to obey God before men? Hence, we can say that Jesus’ decision to remain in the temple was the fruit of the education he received from Mary and Joseph.
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See also from Miami Herald, "Pope Presses the Flesh, Visits Rome Soup Kitchen."

And from YouTube-Vatican's Channel:

Pope: The family teaches how to say Yes to God
December 27, 2009

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 8:43 PM