"Come after me": Family's discipleship call: Nativity Mystery of Holy Rosary

I continue reflect upon the discipleship call of families through joyful mysteries. Currently I am dwelling on nativity mystery and I think, I am going to spend quiet many weeks in this mystery. Today my focus is on Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in the manger scene. I am fascinated and excited by the appearance of infant Jesus in between Mary and Joseph. As I have alluded before that in Nativity I reflect that the recreation of family relationship and fellowship with the Holy Trinity was revealed and in nativity the creation of the Church was revealed as the proclamation of kingdom of God began with Jesus ministry. I also discussed how in the first creation man and woman had the discipleship role of guarding and protecting all creations, which was entrusted to their care by the heavenly Father that which they lost in their original sin. Instead of ruling the creations as king, prophet, and people of God, they became a slave to the sin and its shackles. In nativity, Father used the human family as the founding material to recreate the original status of Family, the family which is Holy, the family which is a disciple and that family was created through Joseph and Mary family. We call the family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as Holy Family, because the family contained Jesus, who is Holy Son of God. By this every family, which lives in the presence of God, by their life witness, they bring the good news to the world as Joseph and Mary did.

My attention focuses on Infant Jesus. In nativity scene we witness Jesus in human infant nature. Majority of the creations bring forth their infants as independent as they are born with few exceptions. Some of their offspring become independent within few seconds to months. Human infant takes many years to become independent. Human infant is helpless at birth and it is very vulnerable and it cannot protect and feed itself without parents help. It is very sad to note, it is only the human infant losses its chance in the womb in our days. This status continues for few years of childhood as the child grows through various milestone. God in His infinite love and wisdom chose to become a human, helpless, vulnerable infant to save the human and all creations. The creator, who is omnipresence, contained Himself and subjected Himself to the hands of human family boundaries. The creator, who is omnipotent, became a vulnerable infant who needs human help to survive and grow. The creator, who is omniscience, made himself revealed in the innocence of little fragile child into the human family. By this heavenly blessing and Father's holy will, human family was elevated to the status of supportive frame or template for salvation, which was a discipleship role of Joseph and Mary and it has been handed over to the Church and to all the families it constitutes within.

Joseph and Mary were devoted in protecting Jesus from various dangers. They waited upon the Lord to order them and protect them. God was so faithful to their plea and prayers, He send His Angels to guard them and guide them and protect them. Joseph received directions and guidance through His dreams to guide his family. Mary and Joseph were determined to protect the infant Jesus, as we learn in the history of salvation. I see Joseph's dependency and total obedience to God's will. I reflect Joseph was self sacrificing, self emptying for the single purpose of protecting Jesus. Mary was cooperative and obedient to God's will and revelations in protecting Jesus and following Joseph. Mary and Joseph traveled great distances on foot and on the saddled donkey to protect Jesus. They moved to many places and cities to keep Jesus away from the killing and raging rulers site. As result, they actively carried the good news through their life. Family has natural role of bringing up and protecting their children. In that role, they function as a disciple of Jesus in bringing up the future Church and families. Further, as Joseph and Mary worked to protect the word of God, the Infant Jesus, the families have another great vested responsibility upon them to protect the Church among them, which is discipleship role.

In many church functions, we can see knights of Columbus men get dressed up and stand guard during the Church functions. I am fascinated by their presence and their function of protecting Church. This image can be applied to all the family to understand their responsibility and role of protecting the Church. The family which functions with this conviction will admire the Church. The family which treats its discipleship role with reverence will recognize the reverence and Holy presence of the Holy Church. The family which functions in the discipleship role will live within the teachings and grace of the Church. The family that draws its blessings through discipleship life will defend the faith with all its strength and support.

In the first creation of Adam and Eve, God created all creations and gave all His creations to the human to guard them and protect them. In the new creation of Church, His kingdom on earth, which is the eternal presence of God on earth and to universe and beyond, in the presence of Son of God, who  came as a vulnerable human infant who needed human protection, which is the first sign of salvation, where human family received its dignified re- vested responsibility and status to guard the new creation, which is the Holy Mother Church. This time heavenly Father, in His wisdom trusted human more than He trusted them in the beginning. The act of His love and trust is so visible in Infant Jesus. The family's discipleship role is adorable at the Nativity scene of manger. Holy family pray for us! Infant Jesus I adore you with awe and wonder.