Making Nazareth Present
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Through faith and baptism Jesus literally comes to live in the souls of each one of us. The purpose of life is to be transformed in union with Jesus so that we become more and more like him. How in the world is this going to happen! I am not very good at living in imitation of Jesus. Well, God is not expecting us to do it alone. He has given us great help. First, Jesus wants to do it for us, to live through us, if we would just learn how to cooperate with him and let him. Second, Jesus gave his Mother Mary to be our Mother. At the Cross Jesus saw the disciple whom he loved standing near (this disciple is not named because we are the disciple Jesus loved), then he said “Behold, this is your mother.” Since Jesus lives in us and Mary is the mother of Jesus then she becomes our Spiritual Mother. Third, since Jesus lives in us, St. Joseph, the father of Jesus continues to care for us. Jesus was part of the Holy Family and since he lives in us, we are now part of the Holy Family, with Mary as our mother and Joseph as our guardian, protector and provider. We are to live in a friendship with all three as they help us become more and more like Christ.
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We are to become like Jesus by living in friendship with the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. A powerful way to do this is by praying the Rosary. St John Paul II, in his letter on the Rosary writes: “The Rosary mystically transports us to Mary's side as she is busy watching over the human growth of Christ in the home of Nazareth. This enables her to train us and to mold us with the same care, until Christ is “fully formed” in us (cf. Gal 4:19).”
Somehow, when we pray the Rosary, the Holy Spirit brings us to the Home of the Holy Family in Nazareth, where Mary is caring for, teaching and forming Jesus, so that she can do the same for us.
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Imagine what it would be like to go to the home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph when they were living in Nazareth. Imagine knocking on the front door, being welcomed in by Joseph who brings you into their main room, sits you comfortably at the table. And there you are, with Mary and Jesus. I’m sure they would immediately serve you with all kinds of hospitality and as you eat and drink what they provide they ask you about your life. They are interested. They care. What do you say to them? How would you describe your life to them? What would you want to ask them?
This is precisely what happens when we pray the Rosary. We are transported to the home of the Holy Family, and we are with them. We come into the presence of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We can speak with them in our mind and heart. Even more, we can listen to them as we meditate, repeating the Our Father and Hail Mary’s over and over.
The Rosary is not just a repetitive saying of words. By the power of the Holy Spirit, it is a real encounter with Jesus, Mary and Joseph and a time to build a deep and lasting friendship with them.
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I have been thinking about the wedding of Brian and Susan all week. The image that I can’t get out of my mind is that their new life and home together is to be a type of Nazareth. They already have the habit of praying the Rosary. The Rosary makes the home of the Holy Family present. When Brian and Susan invite people into their home, they can put their guests into immediate and direct contact with Jesus, Mary and Joseph, just by living friendship, offering hospitality, delighting in their guests, laughing, talking and inviting them to pray the Rosary with them. I think this is their mission – to give people an experience of the Holy Family in their own home and this will be a source of peace and joy.
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This is a simple but profound reality. Whenever we invite people to pray the Rosary with us, the Holy Spirit somehow puts us in the presence of Jesus, Mary and Joseph so they can make us more like Jesus. And if we live in imitation of the Holy Family, by creating an environment where we live that is inviting, and we offer hospitality, taking interest and delighting in our guests, sharing life with them and talking about the things that really matter, then our homes too can become a place profound encounter with Jesus, Mary and Joseph – and the fruit will be peace and joy. Brian and Susan, I think you have the mission of bringing the Home of the Holy Family to others. But the fact is, we all have this mission?