"Come after me": Family life is a call of Discipleship life to Jesus: Nativity Mystery: Gifts and Fruits

I continue to reflect upon the discipleship call of life of the families. Discipleship life is an active life of faith. Discipleship life of a family includes an active system of faith. All the families are called to become a disciple of Jesus in carrying good news to the world and to all creations. Within this discipleship way of life there are many kinds of calls consisted. Some families are called to live an ordained apostolic priesthood life example of this call is Deacons. Other families are called to live a natural discipleship life, which is a secular priesthood life. Secular priesthood life is a natural call of life of the family by its functions, roles, and significance to the world. However, discipleship life is a follower life, which needs a person to follow. It is a dependent life where the disciple is dependent upon the teacher or guru. Discipleship life involves following Jesus. In discipleship life Jesus takes the center of the life. The disciple is free and lead a conscious yet carefree life depending upon the divine providence to order the fruits of the labor in the world.

 Family's discipleship life involves lifting the ordinary day today works to the Heavenly Father to bless and multiply for extraordinary purposes.  In this life, the family looks up for gifts and guidance while functioning in its natural role. Discipleship life is not possible with human efforts and desires. Although it requires human choices and desire, and decision to follow Jesus, discipleship life will not be possible without the guidance of Holy Spirit. For this very reason, Jesus instructed His Apostles to wait for the Pentecost. It is at the Pentecost the new creation, the creation of the Church was complete. As, the first Eve was created from the first Adam's bone and flesh, the second Eve, the Mother Church was created from the flesh and blood of Jesus Crucifixion and resurrection. As the first human received breath from God's breath, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Mother Church received Her first breath from the Holy Spirit at the Pentecost day and she began to live. The redemptive family was created, which constitutes the Holy Trinity, Apostles, and disciple families. This new creation is on apostolic mission into the world by their being, breathing, functioning, roles, essentials, and lives.  

Disciple family is enabled and equipped with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There were many families in the location where Jesus lived. Multitudes followed Him, very few became His disciples.Although discipleship call is open for all the families, although multitudes could benefit from this way of life, the truth is very few choose this way of life, which is a mystery. However, one convinced family could bring good news to many. After all, it took only 12 to evangelize the whole world. It is not the number but using the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and allowing Holy Spirit to function into the family life brings the witness to Gospel. Man, woman, and Children with the Holy Spirit becomes one powerful unit of evangelization. Family becomes the soil where Holy Spirit sow His gifts and the resulting harvest will be the visible fruits to the world. Family receive the Holy Spirit's gifts and cultivates them in their life and produces the fruits and reciprocates the good news. Thus family becomes the disciple.

I reflect Holy Spirit's gifts to the families, when I see the light which radiates from the Infant Jesus towards Mary and Joseph. In manger scene, Holy Spirit presence is depicted in the form of light. In all the arts of manger scene we can visualize the radiating light depicting Holy Spirit's gifts that which is visible in Infant Jesus presence within the Holy Family. We can also reflect upon Holy Family containing all the gifts and fruits of The Holy Spirit to the fullness, as they were glorified in the presence of Infant Jesus. The gifts and fruits were visible in Holy Family's life. Holy family is a role model for secular family in carrying good news to the world with the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.