When in the late seventies and early eighties, the program: “The American Family: An Endangered Species?” aired on NBC, one in four American families had the traditional family structure, “only” 40% of marriages ended in divorce, and there were six million single parent families. Think that was bad? You’ll be shell-shocked by today’s statistics, which I’ll spare you. But consider that in those eighties, gay marriage hadn’t become law and it would have been unheard of to think one could choose his or her gender; threesomes and foursomes were still called “deviant behaviors.” Fast forward to 2023 and you meet the actual shock, where a recent Church document suggests the idea and possibility of blessings for people in irregular union and same-sex couples. This is the modern family.
Against this backdrop, we’re presented with the Holy Family of Nazareth. It may sound strange to contemporary people that family situations such as Mary, Joseph and Jesus had was possible. It wasn’t all pretty and dandy for them. In fact, they not only contended with most of the messiness, complexity and worries of today’s average family, but actually went over and beyond mere life challenges. For example, we love to put up the Nativity Scene in our heated and air-conditioned living rooms often forgetting that the stable of Bethlehem was cold and uncomfortable, smelt of animal feces and lacked doctors and nurses to aid in child delivery. The Holy Family was so destitute that at the Presentation of Jesus in the temple, the family could only afford two pigeons—offering of the poor. Joseph was a mere carpenter, barely able to put food on the table. While we cry and fret about bad politicians, we have not been targeted by government to the extent that we’ll have to escape to another country on foot to reside as fugitives for a number of years. The Holy Family was besieged with fear, sorrow and disappointments, yet held on hope and resigned to God’s plan. We too may face difficulties and uncertain situations, and have the Holy Family as our mentor.
Today’s feast can help us reflect on the nature of the earthly family to which the Son of God chose to identify and become a member. It also provides a lens for us when we truly reflect on the adverse effects that contemporary ethos has brought upon the family. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the encyclical Humanae Vitae by Pope Paul VI. I have no other word to describe Pope Paul VI than properly call him Prophet Paul VI, given that everything he predicted about the family faced with a vehement contraceptive culture has come true. Prophet Paul VI warned of four resulting trends: 1) a general lowering of moral standards throughout society, 2) a rise in infidelity, 3) a lessening of respect for women by men, and 4) a coercive use of reproductive technologies by governments. Do you need any argument to show that modern society has acquiesced to lower moral standards that are not just tolerated but radically enforced as the norm? You become a social outcast today if you do not accept abortion, homosexuality, gender fluidity, cohabitation, and pornography. About rise in infidelity and lessening of respect for women, we need look no further than the myriad of allegations of sexual exploitation of women roiling Hollywood—at long last—and politicians presently. The pill was supposed to free everybody from sexual slavery, but look what it has given society—a greater percentage of men and women registered as sex-offenders, sexual molestation and exploitation of children and women, a deadening of the male libido in relation to real women, and solace in porn and online adultery. The HHS Mandate was a clear example of the coercive enforcement of the contraceptive culture by government as predicted by Prophet Paul VI. As we enter a new temporal year, we pray for a recovery of the priceless jewel of family life seen in the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Fr. Chukwudi Jo Okonkwo