HOLY FAMILY
December 30, 2022
The former Emperor of Austria, Charles Josef I, was recently beautified. He died a young man at the age of 34 in the year 1922. His brief reign lasted 2 years. WWI was raging. Austria was on the wrong side. The empire was falling apart. He worked for peace. When he married, he told his young bride “now we must make our way to heaven together.” After the war, he was forced into exile. As emperor, he worked for peace. As a husband, he lived a life of marital fidelity and self-sacrifice. As a father, he brought 8 children into the world. With his wife and children, he formed a Holy family.

A holy family can be found in ghettos, slums in many countries. There are many holy families in our parish. Many are here at mass. I admire you and commend you. I encourage you to persevere. You and I know it is not easy.
If you wish your children to be Christians, you must take the time to be Christians yourselves. These are the only terms upon which the home will work this gracious miracle. This is so important – look at the 10 commandments.
            First 3 deal with our relation to God.
            Last 7 deal with our relations with humans.
The 4^th links them and it is no small thing that this commandment tells us to honor our father and mother.

As the examples of blessed Charles Josef and countless others as the second reading tells us, be Christian. For this is the main ingredient of success.