The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Today the Church celebrates the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The assigned readings are Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; and Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 128 (Psalm 128:1-5).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: "Psalm 128: Blessed are Those Who Fear the Lord" (Alstott) - Pax Christi (MN) Choirs

The Gospel reading is as follows:

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."

Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and 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 called my son."

When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." He rose, took the child and his mother, and 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. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean."

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sunday Reflections: Feast of the Holy Family (December 29, 2019)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Holy Family (December 29, 2019)

Community in Mission: Biblical Teaching on Marriage and Family - A Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family (28 DEC 19)

Crossroads Initiative: Holy Family Feast - Piety in the 21st Century?

The Sacred Page: The Readings for Holy Family Sunday (27 DEC 19)

The Sacred Page: The Holy Family (The Mass Readings Explained) (23 DEC 19)

St. Paul Center: Saving Family: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Feast of the Holy Family

Word on Fire: Herod and Joseph (Feasts * Holy Family)

National Catholic Register: Sunday Readings: Make Christ the Center of the Family (29 DEC 19)

Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis asks families to put down their phones on Holy Family feast (29 DEC 19)

Spirituality of the Readings: Immense Danger (The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)

In Exile: The Human Struggle with Sexual Energy (The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)

Glancing Thoughts: Weeping for the Children (The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)

The Perspective of Justice: Our First Priority (The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)

Let the Scriptures Speak: It takes a Covenant to Raise a Family (The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)

The Word Embodied: Holy Ground (The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)

Historical Cultural Context: The Holy Family (The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by John Chrysostom (The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)