∫ [Piano music] ∫
The following presentation is made possible
By the generosity of the viewers
Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.

Good morning and welcome
To Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.

My name is Dan Riley.
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Ian McBride,
And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,
President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

∫ For Christ is born of Mary and scattered all above. ∫
∫ While mortals sleep, the Angels keep ∫
∫ Their watch of wondering love. ∫
∫ O morning stars, together ∫
∫ Proclaim the Holy Birth, ∫
∫ And praises sing to God the King ∫
∫ And peace to all on earth! ∫

We gather together around the Lord’s Table
To celebrate the Eucharist,
To give thanks and to praise our God,
And we do it this day on the Feast Day of the Holy Family.

We offer our prayer in the Name of the Father,
And of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
–Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
And the love of God,
And the communion of the Holy Spirit
Be with each of you.
–And with your spirit.

My friends, as we gather, we simply ask
To pause for a moment to be grateful for all
The blessings that the Lord has bestowed in our lives,
To acknowledge that we all have faults and failings,
And to seek God’s merciful and loving forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God and the Son of Mary.
Lord, have mercy.
–Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace and the King of Kings.
Christ, have mercy.
–Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are God’s Word made Flesh
And the Splendor of the Father.
Lord, have mercy.
–Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,

Forgive us of our sin,
And bring us to life everlasting.

Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

My friends, let us pray.

O God, who were pleased to give us
The shining example of the Holy Family,
Graciously grant that we may imitate them
In practicing the virtues of family life
And in the bonds of charity.
And so in the joy of Your house
Delight one day in eternal rewards.
Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
In the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Amen.

A reading from the Book of Sirach.

God sets a father in honor over his children.
A mother’s authority He confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins
And preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard.
He stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by his 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.

My son, take care of your father when he is old.
Grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him.
Revile him not all the days of his life.
Kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
Firmly planted against the debt of your sins.
A house raised in injustice to you.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫
∫ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫
∫ Blessed are all who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫
∫ By the labor of your hands you shall eat. ∫
∫ You will be blessed and prosper. ∫
∫ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.

Brothers and sisters,
Put on as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
Heartfelt compassion, kindness,
Humility, gentleness, and patience,
Bearing with one another and forgiving one another.

If one has a grievance against another,
As the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all of these put on Love,
That is the bond of perfection.
And let the Peace of Christ control your hearts,
The Peace into which you are also called in one Body.
And be thankful.

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly,
As in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another.
Sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
With gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
Do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Giving thanks to God, the Father, through Him.

The Word of the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.

∫ [Music] ∫

∫ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ Let the Peace of Christ control your hearts, ∫
∫ Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.
– And with your spirit.

Ours is a reading taken from the Holy Gospel
According to Saint Matthew.
– Glory to You, O Lord.

When the Magi had departed,
Behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream
And said, “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.”

So Joseph rose and took the Child and His Mother by night
And they departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
That what the Lord had said through the Prophet
Might be fulfilled:
“Out of Egypt I have called My Son.”

When Herod had died, behold,
The Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
And said, “Rise now, take the Child and His Mother
And go to the land of Israel,
For those who sought the Child’s life are now dead.”

He rose, took the Child and His Mother,
And they went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
In place of his father Herod,
He was afraid to go back there.
And because he had been warned in a dream,
He departed for the region of Galilee
And he went and he dwelt in a town called Nazareth,
So that what had been spoken through the Prophets might be fulfilled.
He shall be called a Nazarean.

The Gospel of the Lord.
–Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Any of you who have a sister or brother
Know about sibling rivalry.
Every family with siblings growing up together
Has some sort of sibling rivalry
That they have to deal with.

Going back to Thanksgiving,
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my brother’s home.
It was wonderful.
One of the best we’ve had—probably 30 people there.
We went home and went to bed, and the next morning
I woke up to a text message from my sister Barb.

Barb and I have always had a bit of sibling rivalry, truly.
And she wrote me this one sentence,
This one text message:
“Know that I love you very much.”

So I texted back to her and said,
“Barb, I think you sent this to the wrong person.”
And she wrote me back and said,
“No, I sent it to you.”

I haven’t forgotten that.
It was just wonderful.

You know, I was thinking about my family.
Think about your family.
Think about the Holy Family.
Every family has its ups and downs.

There are wonderful moments to celebrate,
The difficult moments when they hold each other up and together,
And the difficult moments when there might be
Disagreement and argument.
That’s just the nature of family.

Every family has had challenges.
And in the Gospel today, we hear about the Holy Family—
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

They too had incredible challenges
Early in the Child’s life,
His life being threatened by Herod,
Who wanted to put the Child to death.

Then the Angel appears—
An Angel is always a messenger of God—
Appears to Joseph in a dream.
He says,
“You’ve got to get the Child out of here.
You’ve got to get Him to a safe place.”

So Joseph, being obedient, listening—
That’s what the word obedient means—

Listening to the warning of the Angel, takes the Child and Mary
And they flee to Egypt for the Child’s protection.
As I say, every family has its challenges.
Every family has its ups and downs.

But what creates family, what holds family together,
Is the ability to truly listen to one another,
To be present to one another,
To acknowledge the needs of the other within the family,
And then to support one another.

To support one another is family,
And how important that is.

We live in a time and in a society
Where family life is questioned
And it’s challenged often enough.
Life is difficult for everyone.
Life can be difficult for every family.

What holds the family together
Is the bond of Charity, the bond of Love,
The bond of being grateful for one another.

Think about your own family today and let us
Be instruments of God’s Peace in the world
To enhance and to make better this world in which we live.
That is how the Kingdom of God is brought about slowly,
In God’s time, and through our good efforts.

Let us now take this moment as we place our own hopes,
Our dreams, our prayers before our God
Who loves us as His very own.

Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”

For our Holy Father and all Church leaders,
May they inspire Peace and Justice throughout the world.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who generously support Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
May they be greatly blessed
For their compassion and kindness.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For all those who are ill, may their hearts and health
Be strengthened with the Hope and Joy of this Holy Season.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray too, always the prayer
Of the Angels in Heaven that there might be Peace on Earth,
Good will towards all.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and loving God, we thank You
And we praise You for all the blessings
You bring into our lives and into the lives of our family.
You call us to be faithful Disciples,
To go out and to build the Kingdom of God here and now.

Give us the strength and the grace,
The wisdom and the courage to do that.
This prayer we make through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ [Piano music continues] ∫

Pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers,
That this our sacrifice may be acceptable
To God, the Father Almighty.
–May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
For the praise and glory of His Name,
For our good and the good of all His Holy Church.

We offer You, Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation,
Humbly asking that through the intercession
Of the Virgin Mother of God and Saint Joseph,
You may establish our families firmly in Your grace
And in Your peace through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

The Lord be with you.
–And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.
–We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
–It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation,
Always and everywhere to give You thanks, Lord, Holy Father,
Almighty and Eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
For through Him the holy exchange that restores our life
Has shown forth today in its splendor.
When our frailty is assumed by Your Word,
Not only does human mortality receive unending honor,
But by this wondrous union we too are made eternal.

And so, with the company of the choirs of Angels
And all the Saints, we praise You,
As with joy we acclaim:

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Holy, Holy, Holy ∫
∫ Lord God of Hosts ∫
∫ Heaven and earth are full of Your glory ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫
∫ Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
By sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
So that they may become for us the Body and Blood
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time He was betrayed and entered willingly
Into His Passion, He took bread,
And giving thanks, He broke it.

He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
“For this is my body which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way, when the supper was ended,
He took the chalice and once more giving thanks.
He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
“For this is the chalice of my blood,
“The blood of the new and the eternal covenant,
“Which will be poured out for you and for many
“For the forgiveness of sins.
“Do this in memory of me.”
The mystery of faith.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ when we eat this bread and drink this cup ∫
∫ we proclaim your death, o Lord ∫
∫ until you come again. ∫
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death
And his resurrection, we offer to you, Lord,
The bread of life and the chalice of salvation.
Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy
To be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly, we pray that partaking
Of the body and blood of Christ,
We may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of charity.
Together with Leo, our pope, Blase Cupich, our bishop,
And with all your faith-filled people.
Remember also our sisters and our brothers
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection
And all of those who have died in your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of your presence.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of god,
With her blessed spouse, Joseph,
With the blessed apostles and with the martyrs,
With all the saints that have pleased you
Throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life
And may praise and glorify you
Through your son, Jesus Christ.
Through him and with him and in him, o god, almighty father,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
All glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ amen, amen, amen ∫
We gather our prayer together into the prayer of Jesus
As we pray for the coming of God’s kingdom,
As Jesus taught:
Our father. Who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses.
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil
And graciously grant peace in our day,
That by the help of your mercy,
We may be freed from sin and safe from all distress
As we await the blessed hope,
The coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
-for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
Now and forever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to his apostles,
“peace I leave you.
It is my peace that I give to you.”
Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church.
And graciously grant her peace and unity
In accordance with your will,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
-amen.
The peace of the risen Lord be with each of you.
-and with your spirit.
Let’s take this opportunity to share
The Lord’s peace with one another.
And for those of you who are at home
Celebrating this wonderful feast of the holy family,
We here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
Wish that you receive God’s choicest blessings in life
And the peace of Christ.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ lamb of God; ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God; ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God; ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ grant us peace. ∫
And my friends, behold Jesus,
Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,
The bread of life that comes down from heaven.
Blessed are those invited to the supper of the lamb.
-Lord, I am now worthy that you should enter under my roof,
But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Ave Maria! ∫
∫ Gratia plena, ∫
∫ Dominus tecum. ∫
∫ Benedicta tu ∫
∫ in mulieribus, ∫
∫ et benedictus, ∫
∫ ventris tui, Jesus. ∫
∫ Sancta Maria, ∫
∫ Sancta Maria, ∫
∫ Maria, ora pro nobis, ∫
∫ nobis peccatoribus, ∫
∫ nunc et in hora ∫
∫ mortis nostrae. ∫
∫ Amen. ∫
∫ Amen. ∫

My friends, let us pray.
Bring those that You refresh with this heavenly Sacrament,
Most Merciful Father,
To imitate constantly the example of the Holy Family,
So that after all the trials of this world,
We may share in their company forever
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

My friends, I want to thank you for gathering with us,
As today we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family.
I would ask that you continue to pray for our family here
At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Please pray for my coworkers; they are extraordinary.
And for the children who are entrusted to our care,
Pray for one another—you, our donors,
Who make this wonderful ministry possible.
And my promise is that I will continue my prayers always for you.

And so the Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

May the many blessings of Almighty God,
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Come upon all of you,
Your family members and your friends,
And remain with you forever.

Amen.

Our Mass has ended; go in peace.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ As with gladness… ∫

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA Publications Incorporated
And its World Library Publications Division.

∫ …leading onward, beaming bright; ∫
∫ so, most gracious Lord… ∫

∫ [Piano music] ∫
The following presentation is made possible
By the generosity of the viewers
Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.

Good morning and welcome
To Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.

My name is Dan Riley.
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Ian McBride,
And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,
President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

∫ For Christ is born of Mary and scattered all above. ∫
∫ While mortals sleep, the Angels keep ∫
∫ Their watch of wondering love. ∫
∫ O morning stars, together ∫
∫ Proclaim the Holy Birth, ∫
∫ And praises sing to God the King ∫
∫ And peace to all on earth! ∫

We gather together around the Lord’s Table
To celebrate the Eucharist,
To give thanks and to praise our God,
And we do it this day on the Feast Day of the Holy Family.

We offer our prayer in the Name of the Father,
And of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
–Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
And the love of God,
And the communion of the Holy Spirit
Be with each of you.
–And with your spirit.

My friends, as we gather, we simply ask
To pause for a moment to be grateful for all
The blessings that the Lord has bestowed in our lives,
To acknowledge that we all have faults and failings,
And to seek God’s merciful and loving forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God and the Son of Mary.
Lord, have mercy.
–Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace and the King of Kings.
Christ, have mercy.
–Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are God’s Word made Flesh
And the Splendor of the Father.
Lord, have mercy.
–Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,

Forgive us of our sin,
And bring us to life everlasting.

Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

My friends, let us pray.

O God, who were pleased to give us
The shining example of the Holy Family,
Graciously grant that we may imitate them
In practicing the virtues of family life
And in the bonds of charity.
And so in the joy of Your house
Delight one day in eternal rewards.
Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
In the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Amen.

A reading from the Book of Sirach.

God sets a father in honor over his children.
A mother’s authority He confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins
And preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard.
He stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by his 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.

My son, take care of your father when he is old.
Grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him.
Revile him not all the days of his life.
Kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
Firmly planted against the debt of your sins.
A house raised in injustice to you.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫
∫ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫
∫ Blessed are all who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫
∫ By the labor of your hands you shall eat. ∫
∫ You will be blessed and prosper. ∫
∫ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.

Brothers and sisters,
Put on as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
Heartfelt compassion, kindness,
Humility, gentleness, and patience,
Bearing with one another and forgiving one another.

If one has a grievance against another,
As the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all of these put on Love,
That is the bond of perfection.
And let the Peace of Christ control your hearts,
The Peace into which you are also called in one Body.
And be thankful.

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly,
As in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another.
Sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
With gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
Do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Giving thanks to God, the Father, through Him.

The Word of the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.

∫ [Music] ∫

∫ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ Let the Peace of Christ control your hearts, ∫
∫ Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.
– And with your spirit.

Ours is a reading taken from the Holy Gospel
According to Saint Matthew.
– Glory to You, O Lord.

When the Magi had departed,
Behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream
And said, “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.”

So Joseph rose and took the Child and His Mother by night
And they departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
That what the Lord had said through the Prophet
Might be fulfilled:
“Out of Egypt I have called My Son.”

When Herod had died, behold,
The Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
And said, “Rise now, take the Child and His Mother
And go to the land of Israel,
For those who sought the Child’s life are now dead.”

He rose, took the Child and His Mother,
And they went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
In place of his father Herod,
He was afraid to go back there.
And because he had been warned in a dream,
He departed for the region of Galilee
And he went and he dwelt in a town called Nazareth,
So that what had been spoken through the Prophets might be fulfilled.
He shall be called a Nazarean.

The Gospel of the Lord.
–Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Any of you who have a sister or brother
Know about sibling rivalry.
Every family with siblings growing up together
Has some sort of sibling rivalry
That they have to deal with.

Going back to Thanksgiving,
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my brother’s home.
It was wonderful.
One of the best we’ve had—probably 30 people there.
We went home and went to bed, and the next morning
I woke up to a text message from my sister Barb.

Barb and I have always had a bit of sibling rivalry, truly.
And she wrote me this one sentence,
This one text message:
“Know that I love you very much.”

So I texted back to her and said,
“Barb, I think you sent this to the wrong person.”
And she wrote me back and said,
“No, I sent it to you.”

I haven’t forgotten that.
It was just wonderful.

You know, I was thinking about my family.
Think about your family.
Think about the Holy Family.
Every family has its ups and downs.

There are wonderful moments to celebrate,
The difficult moments when they hold each other up and together,
And the difficult moments when there might be
Disagreement and argument.
That’s just the nature of family.

Every family has had challenges.
And in the Gospel today, we hear about the Holy Family—
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

They too had incredible challenges
Early in the Child’s life,
His life being threatened by Herod,
Who wanted to put the Child to death.

Then the Angel appears—
An Angel is always a messenger of God—
Appears to Joseph in a dream.
He says,
“You’ve got to get the Child out of here.
You’ve got to get Him to a safe place.”

So Joseph, being obedient, listening—
That’s what the word obedient means—

Listening to the warning of the Angel, takes the Child and Mary
And they flee to Egypt for the Child’s protection.
As I say, every family has its challenges.
Every family has its ups and downs.

But what creates family, what holds family together,
Is the ability to truly listen to one another,
To be present to one another,
To acknowledge the needs of the other within the family,
And then to support one another.

To support one another is family,
And how important that is.

We live in a time and in a society
Where family life is questioned
And it’s challenged often enough.
Life is difficult for everyone.
Life can be difficult for every family.

What holds the family together
Is the bond of Charity, the bond of Love,
The bond of being grateful for one another.

Think about your own family today and let us
Be instruments of God’s Peace in the world
To enhance and to make better this world in which we live.
That is how the Kingdom of God is brought about slowly,
In God’s time, and through our good efforts.

Let us now take this moment as we place our own hopes,
Our dreams, our prayers before our God
Who loves us as His very own.

Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”

For our Holy Father and all Church leaders,
May they inspire Peace and Justice throughout the world.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who generously support Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
May they be greatly blessed
For their compassion and kindness.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For all those who are ill, may their hearts and health
Be strengthened with the Hope and Joy of this Holy Season.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray too, always the prayer
Of the Angels in Heaven that there might be Peace on Earth,
Good will towards all.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and loving God, we thank You
And we praise You for all the blessings
You bring into our lives and into the lives of our family.
You call us to be faithful Disciples,
To go out and to build the Kingdom of God here and now.

Give us the strength and the grace,
The wisdom and the courage to do that.
This prayer we make through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ [Piano music continues] ∫

Pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers,
That this our sacrifice may be acceptable
To God, the Father Almighty.
–May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
For the praise and glory of His Name,
For our good and the good of all His Holy Church.

We offer You, Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation,
Humbly asking that through the intercession
Of the Virgin Mother of God and Saint Joseph,
You may establish our families firmly in Your grace
And in Your peace through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

The Lord be with you.
–And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.
–We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
–It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation,
Always and everywhere to give You thanks, Lord, Holy Father,
Almighty and Eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
For through Him the holy exchange that restores our life
Has shown forth today in its splendor.
When our frailty is assumed by Your Word,
Not only does human mortality receive unending honor,
But by this wondrous union we too are made eternal.

And so, with the company of the choirs of Angels
And all the Saints, we praise You,
As with joy we acclaim:

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Holy, Holy, Holy ∫
∫ Lord God of Hosts ∫
∫ Heaven and earth are full of Your glory ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫
∫ Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
By sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
So that they may become for us the Body and Blood
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time He was betrayed and entered willingly
Into His Passion, He took bread,
And giving thanks, He broke it.

He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
“For this is my body which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way, when the supper was ended,
He took the chalice and once more giving thanks.
He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
“For this is the chalice of my blood,
“The blood of the new and the eternal covenant,
“Which will be poured out for you and for many
“For the forgiveness of sins.
“Do this in memory of me.”
The mystery of faith.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ when we eat this bread and drink this cup ∫
∫ we proclaim your death, o Lord ∫
∫ until you come again. ∫
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death
And his resurrection, we offer to you, Lord,
The bread of life and the chalice of salvation.
Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy
To be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly, we pray that partaking
Of the body and blood of Christ,
We may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of charity.
Together with Leo, our pope, Blase Cupich, our bishop,
And with all your faith-filled people.
Remember also our sisters and our brothers
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection
And all of those who have died in your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of your presence.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of god,
With her blessed spouse, Joseph,
With the blessed apostles and with the martyrs,
With all the saints that have pleased you
Throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life
And may praise and glorify you
Through your son, Jesus Christ.
Through him and with him and in him, o god, almighty father,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
All glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ amen, amen, amen ∫
We gather our prayer together into the prayer of Jesus
As we pray for the coming of God’s kingdom,
As Jesus taught:
Our father. Who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses.
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil
And graciously grant peace in our day,
That by the help of your mercy,
We may be freed from sin and safe from all distress
As we await the blessed hope,
The coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
-for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
Now and forever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to his apostles,
“peace I leave you.
It is my peace that I give to you.”
Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church.
And graciously grant her peace and unity
In accordance with your will,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
-amen.
The peace of the risen Lord be with each of you.
-and with your spirit.
Let’s take this opportunity to share
The Lord’s peace with one another.
And for those of you who are at home
Celebrating this wonderful feast of the holy family,
We here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
Wish that you receive God’s choicest blessings in life
And the peace of Christ.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ lamb of God; ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God; ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God; ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ grant us peace. ∫
And my friends, behold Jesus,
Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,
The bread of life that comes down from heaven.
Blessed are those invited to the supper of the lamb.
-Lord, I am now worthy that you should enter under my roof,
But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Ave Maria! ∫
∫ Gratia plena, ∫
∫ Dominus tecum. ∫
∫ Benedicta tu ∫
∫ in mulieribus, ∫
∫ et benedictus, ∫
∫ ventris tui, Jesus. ∫
∫ Sancta Maria, ∫
∫ Sancta Maria, ∫
∫ Maria, ora pro nobis, ∫
∫ nobis peccatoribus, ∫
∫ nunc et in hora ∫
∫ mortis nostrae. ∫
∫ Amen. ∫
∫ Amen. ∫

My friends, let us pray.
Bring those that You refresh with this heavenly Sacrament,
Most Merciful Father,
To imitate constantly the example of the Holy Family,
So that after all the trials of this world,
We may share in their company forever
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

My friends, I want to thank you for gathering with us,
As today we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family.
I would ask that you continue to pray for our family here
At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Please pray for my coworkers; they are extraordinary.
And for the children who are entrusted to our care,
Pray for one another—you, our donors,
Who make this wonderful ministry possible.
And my promise is that I will continue my prayers always for you.

And so the Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

May the many blessings of Almighty God,
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Come upon all of you,
Your family members and your friends,
And remain with you forever.

Amen.

Our Mass has ended; go in peace.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ As with gladness… ∫

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA Publications Incorporated
And its World Library Publications Division.

∫ …leading onward, beaming bright; ∫
∫ so, most gracious Lord… ∫

∫ [Piano music] ∫
The following presentation is made possible
By the generosity of the viewers
Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.

Good morning and welcome
To Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.

My name is Dan Riley.
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Ian McBride,
And our celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,
President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

∫ For Christ is born of Mary and scattered all above. ∫
∫ While mortals sleep, the Angels keep ∫
∫ Their watch of wondering love. ∫
∫ O morning stars, together ∫
∫ Proclaim the Holy Birth, ∫
∫ And praises sing to God the King ∫
∫ And peace to all on earth! ∫

We gather together around the Lord’s Table
To celebrate the Eucharist,
To give thanks and to praise our God,
And we do it this day on the Feast Day of the Holy Family.

We offer our prayer in the Name of the Father,
And of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
–Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
And the love of God,
And the communion of the Holy Spirit
Be with each of you.
–And with your spirit.

My friends, as we gather, we simply ask
To pause for a moment to be grateful for all
The blessings that the Lord has bestowed in our lives,
To acknowledge that we all have faults and failings,
And to seek God’s merciful and loving forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God and the Son of Mary.
Lord, have mercy.
–Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace and the King of Kings.
Christ, have mercy.
–Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are God’s Word made Flesh
And the Splendor of the Father.
Lord, have mercy.
–Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,

Forgive us of our sin,
And bring us to life everlasting.

Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫
∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫
∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫

My friends, let us pray.

O God, who were pleased to give us
The shining example of the Holy Family,
Graciously grant that we may imitate them
In practicing the virtues of family life
And in the bonds of charity.
And so in the joy of Your house
Delight one day in eternal rewards.
Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
In the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Amen.

A reading from the Book of Sirach.

God sets a father in honor over his children.
A mother’s authority He confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins
And preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard.
He stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by his 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.

My son, take care of your father when he is old.
Grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him.
Revile him not all the days of his life.
Kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
Firmly planted against the debt of your sins.
A house raised in injustice to you.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫
∫ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫
∫ Blessed are all who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫
∫ By the labor of your hands you shall eat. ∫
∫ You will be blessed and prosper. ∫
∫ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. ∫

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.

Brothers and sisters,
Put on as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
Heartfelt compassion, kindness,
Humility, gentleness, and patience,
Bearing with one another and forgiving one another.

If one has a grievance against another,
As the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all of these put on Love,
That is the bond of perfection.
And let the Peace of Christ control your hearts,
The Peace into which you are also called in one Body.
And be thankful.

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly,
As in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another.
Sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
With gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
Do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Giving thanks to God, the Father, through Him.

The Word of the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.

∫ [Music] ∫

∫ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫
∫ Let the Peace of Christ control your hearts, ∫
∫ Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. ∫
∫ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.
– And with your spirit.

Ours is a reading taken from the Holy Gospel
According to Saint Matthew.
– Glory to You, O Lord.

When the Magi had departed,
Behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream
And said, “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.”

So Joseph rose and took the Child and His Mother by night
And they departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
That what the Lord had said through the Prophet
Might be fulfilled:
“Out of Egypt I have called My Son.”

When Herod had died, behold,
The Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
And said, “Rise now, take the Child and His Mother
And go to the land of Israel,
For those who sought the Child’s life are now dead.”

He rose, took the Child and His Mother,
And they went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
In place of his father Herod,
He was afraid to go back there.
And because he had been warned in a dream,
He departed for the region of Galilee
And he went and he dwelt in a town called Nazareth,
So that what had been spoken through the Prophets might be fulfilled.
He shall be called a Nazarean.

The Gospel of the Lord.
–Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Any of you who have a sister or brother
Know about sibling rivalry.
Every family with siblings growing up together
Has some sort of sibling rivalry
That they have to deal with.

Going back to Thanksgiving,
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my brother’s home.
It was wonderful.
One of the best we’ve had—probably 30 people there.
We went home and went to bed, and the next morning
I woke up to a text message from my sister Barb.

Barb and I have always had a bit of sibling rivalry, truly.
And she wrote me this one sentence,
This one text message:
“Know that I love you very much.”

So I texted back to her and said,
“Barb, I think you sent this to the wrong person.”
And she wrote me back and said,
“No, I sent it to you.”

I haven’t forgotten that.
It was just wonderful.

You know, I was thinking about my family.
Think about your family.
Think about the Holy Family.
Every family has its ups and downs.

There are wonderful moments to celebrate,
The difficult moments when they hold each other up and together,
And the difficult moments when there might be
Disagreement and argument.
That’s just the nature of family.

Every family has had challenges.
And in the Gospel today, we hear about the Holy Family—
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

They too had incredible challenges
Early in the Child’s life,
His life being threatened by Herod,
Who wanted to put the Child to death.

Then the Angel appears—
An Angel is always a messenger of God—
Appears to Joseph in a dream.
He says,
“You’ve got to get the Child out of here.
You’ve got to get Him to a safe place.”

So Joseph, being obedient, listening—
That’s what the word obedient means—

Listening to the warning of the Angel, takes the Child and Mary
And they flee to Egypt for the Child’s protection.
As I say, every family has its challenges.
Every family has its ups and downs.

But what creates family, what holds family together,
Is the ability to truly listen to one another,
To be present to one another,
To acknowledge the needs of the other within the family,
And then to support one another.

To support one another is family,
And how important that is.

We live in a time and in a society
Where family life is questioned
And it’s challenged often enough.
Life is difficult for everyone.
Life can be difficult for every family.

What holds the family together
Is the bond of Charity, the bond of Love,
The bond of being grateful for one another.

Think about your own family today and let us
Be instruments of God’s Peace in the world
To enhance and to make better this world in which we live.
That is how the Kingdom of God is brought about slowly,
In God’s time, and through our good efforts.

Let us now take this moment as we place our own hopes,
Our dreams, our prayers before our God
Who loves us as His very own.

Our response to each prayer will be,
“Lord, hear our prayer.”

For our Holy Father and all Church leaders,
May they inspire Peace and Justice throughout the world.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who generously support Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
May they be greatly blessed
For their compassion and kindness.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

For all those who are ill, may their hearts and health
Be strengthened with the Hope and Joy of this Holy Season.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray too, always the prayer
Of the Angels in Heaven that there might be Peace on Earth,
Good will towards all.
We pray to the Lord.
—Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and loving God, we thank You
And we praise You for all the blessings
You bring into our lives and into the lives of our family.
You call us to be faithful Disciples,
To go out and to build the Kingdom of God here and now.

Give us the strength and the grace,
The wisdom and the courage to do that.
This prayer we make through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ [Piano music continues] ∫

Pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers,
That this our sacrifice may be acceptable
To God, the Father Almighty.
–May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
For the praise and glory of His Name,
For our good and the good of all His Holy Church.

We offer You, Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation,
Humbly asking that through the intercession
Of the Virgin Mother of God and Saint Joseph,
You may establish our families firmly in Your grace
And in Your peace through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

The Lord be with you.
–And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.
–We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
–It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation,
Always and everywhere to give You thanks, Lord, Holy Father,
Almighty and Eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
For through Him the holy exchange that restores our life
Has shown forth today in its splendor.
When our frailty is assumed by Your Word,
Not only does human mortality receive unending honor,
But by this wondrous union we too are made eternal.

And so, with the company of the choirs of Angels
And all the Saints, we praise You,
As with joy we acclaim:

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ Holy, Holy, Holy ∫
∫ Lord God of Hosts ∫
∫ Heaven and earth are full of Your glory ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫
∫ Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
By sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
So that they may become for us the Body and Blood
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time He was betrayed and entered willingly
Into His Passion, He took bread,
And giving thanks, He broke it.

He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
“For this is my body which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way, when the supper was ended,
He took the chalice and once more giving thanks.
He gave it to his disciples saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
“For this is the chalice of my blood,
“The blood of the new and the eternal covenant,
“Which will be poured out for you and for many
“For the forgiveness of sins.
“Do this in memory of me.”
The mystery of faith.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ when we eat this bread and drink this cup ∫
∫ we proclaim your death, o Lord ∫
∫ until you come again. ∫
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death
And his resurrection, we offer to you, Lord,
The bread of life and the chalice of salvation.
Giving thanks that you’ve held us worthy
To be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly, we pray that partaking
Of the body and blood of Christ,
We may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of charity.
Together with Leo, our pope, Blase Cupich, our bishop,
And with all your faith-filled people.
Remember also our sisters and our brothers
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection
And all of those who have died in your mercy.
Welcome them into the light of your presence.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of god,
With her blessed spouse, Joseph,
With the blessed apostles and with the martyrs,
With all the saints that have pleased you
Throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life
And may praise and glorify you
Through your son, Jesus Christ.
Through him and with him and in him, o god, almighty father,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
All glory and honor is yours forever and ever.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ amen, amen, amen ∫
We gather our prayer together into the prayer of Jesus
As we pray for the coming of God’s kingdom,
As Jesus taught:
Our father. Who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses.
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil
And graciously grant peace in our day,
That by the help of your mercy,
We may be freed from sin and safe from all distress
As we await the blessed hope,
The coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
-for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
Now and forever.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to his apostles,
“peace I leave you.
It is my peace that I give to you.”
Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church.
And graciously grant her peace and unity
In accordance with your will,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
-amen.
The peace of the risen Lord be with each of you.
-and with your spirit.
Let’s take this opportunity to share
The Lord’s peace with one another.
And for those of you who are at home
Celebrating this wonderful feast of the holy family,
We here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
Wish that you receive God’s choicest blessings in life
And the peace of Christ.
∫ [piano music] ∫
∫ lamb of God; ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God; ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ have mercy on us. ∫
∫ lamb of God; ∫
∫ you take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ grant us peace. ∫
And my friends, behold Jesus,
Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,
The bread of life that comes down from heaven.
Blessed are those invited to the supper of the lamb.
-Lord, I am now worthy that you should enter under my roof,
But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ [Piano music] ∫

∫ Ave Maria! ∫
∫ Gratia plena, ∫
∫ Dominus tecum. ∫
∫ Benedicta tu ∫
∫ in mulieribus, ∫
∫ et benedictus, ∫
∫ ventris tui, Jesus. ∫
∫ Sancta Maria, ∫
∫ Sancta Maria, ∫
∫ Maria, ora pro nobis, ∫
∫ nobis peccatoribus, ∫
∫ nunc et in hora ∫
∫ mortis nostrae. ∫
∫ Amen. ∫
∫ Amen. ∫

My friends, let us pray.
Bring those that You refresh with this heavenly Sacrament,
Most Merciful Father,
To imitate constantly the example of the Holy Family,
So that after all the trials of this world,
We may share in their company forever
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

My friends, I want to thank you for gathering with us,
As today we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family.
I would ask that you continue to pray for our family here
At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Please pray for my coworkers; they are extraordinary.
And for the children who are entrusted to our care,
Pray for one another—you, our donors,
Who make this wonderful ministry possible.
And my promise is that I will continue my prayers always for you.

And so the Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

May the many blessings of Almighty God,
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Come upon all of you,
Your family members and your friends,
And remain with you forever.

Amen.

Our Mass has ended; go in peace.

Thanks be to God.

∫ [Piano music] ∫
∫ As with gladness… ∫

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA Publications Incorporated
And its World Library Publications Division.

∫ …leading onward, beaming bright; ∫
∫ so, most gracious Lord… ∫

Any of you who have a sister or brother
Know about sibling rivalry.
Every family with siblings growing up together
Has some sort of sibling rivalry
That they have to deal with.

Going back to Thanksgiving,
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my brother’s home.
It was wonderful.
One of the best we’ve had—probably 30 people there.
We went home and went to bed, and the next morning
I woke up to a text message from my sister Barb.

Barb and I have always had a bit of sibling rivalry, truly.
And she wrote me this one sentence,
This one text message:
“Know that I love you very much.”

So I texted back to her and said,
“Barb, I think you sent this to the wrong person.”
And she wrote me back and said,
“No, I sent it to you.”

I haven’t forgotten that.
It was just wonderful.

You know, I was thinking about my family.
Think about your family.
Think about the Holy Family.
Every family has its ups and downs.

There are wonderful moments to celebrate,
The difficult moments when they hold each other up and together,
And the difficult moments when there might be
Disagreement and argument.
That’s just the nature of family.

Every family has had challenges.
And in the Gospel today, we hear about the Holy Family—
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

They too had incredible challenges
Early in the Child’s life,
His life being threatened by Herod,
Who wanted to put the Child to death.

Then the Angel appears—
An Angel is always a messenger of God—
Appears to Joseph in a dream.
He says,
“You’ve got to get the Child out of here.
You’ve got to get Him to a safe place.”

So Joseph, being obedient, listening—
That’s what the word obedient means—

Listening to the warning of the Angel, takes the Child and Mary
And they flee to Egypt for the Child’s protection.
As I say, every family has its challenges.
Every family has its ups and downs.

But what creates family, what holds family together,
Is the ability to truly listen to one another,
To be present to one another,
To acknowledge the needs of the other within the family,
And then to support one another.

To support one another is family,
And how important that is.

We live in a time and in a society
Where family life is questioned
And it’s challenged often enough.
Life is difficult for everyone.
Life can be difficult for every family.

What holds the family together
Is the bond of Charity, the bond of Love,
The bond of being grateful for one another.

Think about your own family today and let us
Be instruments of God’s Peace in the world
To enhance and to make better this world in which we live.
That is how the Kingdom of God is brought about slowly,
In God’s time, and through our good efforts.