The Gift of a Big Family

The Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family on the Sunday occurring between the Nativity of the Lord (December 25) and Mary, Mother of God (January 1). This year that these feasts occur on Sundays themselves, the Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on December 30.

This Christmas season, and especially on the feast of the holy family, I am filled with joyful thanksgiving as I reflect on the gift of family. Jesus chose the family as the place for his birth, reminding me that the most basic institution of our society is sacred - a gift that we must cherish and uphold!

Icon of The Holy Family's Flight to Egypt (Mt 2:13-15, 19-23) I wrote in 2017

In today's gospel we read verbs like rise, flee, stay, depart, go and dwell. The holy family's confidence and trust in the Lord in the midst of all their movement is a source of strength for me in this journey and mission. The holy family is a beautiful witness in what it means to celebrate Christmas.

This is the first Christmas I'm away from my home. I have also set a personal record of being away this long (the longest time I've been away from the Philippines before this journey was only six weeks!) I did prepare my heart for this experience but of course, I am a person created by God with emotions. I do miss home a lot.

Celebrating Jose Carlos' and Carmo's (my previous host parents) 40th wedding anniversary last December 8, 2022

With the things I'm missing back home, it can be tempting to wallow in sadness. But how can I not see God's goodness and mercies for me? I have a community of family, friends and workmates taking care of me in Portugal. My family and friends all over the world are praying for and supporting me in this mission. Everyone's warmth makes me feel better braving the language barrier and temperature. This is the beauty of the Catholic church. I can be miles away from home yet I am reminded that I have a big universal family!

It's an ongoing process for me to allow God to guide me in my rising, fleeing, staying, departing, going and dwelling. Like the holy family, may I always place God at the center of my life, be at peace with the movements and sacrifices, and love others wherever God asks me to go. May each one of us have a blessed Christmas and new year!

Christmas 2022 celebration with my host family

P.S. I ask for your prayers for the eternal repose of my mother's siblings Ignatius Pangilinan and Menezquita Geverola who recently passed away.