On Holy Family Sunday

I was just sitting here thinking. (I know. Scary, huh?) There is pretty much no trial that the Holy Family can't sympathize with. Right? They knew poverty, persecution, homelessness, an evil civil government, a messed up religious government -- they even knew what it felt like to worry for an adolescent who ran off without telling them where He was going. We might be tempted to think Mary and Joseph couldn't compassionate with the difficulties of raising a large family, but knowing the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, don't you suspect they were the counsel and support of everyone in their radius -- especially children? And imagine how Our Lady must have mothered all the Apostles. No, from their places in heaven, they can feel our sorrows and understand our challenges with human hearts -- Jesus, most especially, who suffered and died in a very human way for love of us.

On a Related Note... 

Have You Seen this Meme?

So many instances in my life I've felt like this, holy cow. Whoever pinned the adulthood badge on me should have their license revoked. Who did that, anyway? (ponderponder) Parenthood did that. Responsibility did that. I guess it's a fait accompli. I pay taxes. I have a trash bill. I babysit my grandkids. I'm an adult. But that doesn't mean I have all the answers, not by a longshot, and even though I've spent two thirds of my life now trying to be the calming influence -- and the kick-in-the-butt influence -- that doesn't mean I don't still need calming and kicking in the butt -- and answers.  I do have some friends and family and my husband, of course, that I can go to for these things -- but, let's be honest: not dependably. When it comes right down to it, all the other adults are also busy trying to work through their own trauma and questions and silliness -- and are of limited help to me over here working through my trauma and questions and silliness. 

So (and you see where I'm going with this, I bet) -- we're all looking for that "adultier adult -- someone better at adulting" than we are, and there's only one place to find him -- or, rather, Them. You know the answer: Go to the Holy Family. They get it. They get me. They get you. They have no self interest and only truly want what is truly best for us and our families. They are the calming influence we all want; they are the kick in the butt we all need. But we have to place ourselves before them -- in prayer and in our daily surrendering of our own self-will to the Will of God before we can benefit from their eager willingness to help. A thing to add to the New Year's Resolution: Ask for help from Adultier Adults. And accept it.

Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph, help us to reach out our hands and hearts to you (our own dependably adultier adults) and accept the wisdom and help You give us with humility and grace. Amen.