Joseph and Mary are our models for family life and for the service of God. Even when the circumstances seemed unclear, Joseph trusted God. Healthy family life is built upon trust, trust in God, and trust in one another.

Spend some time talking as a family about the importance of trust in your family life, including how the children trust the adults in the family, as well as how the adults trust the children. Then read today’s Gospel. Discuss Joseph’s trust in God and reflect on how your family trusts in God.

Pray together that your family life will be built on trust, as was the family life of Joseph and Mary. Pray and sing together an Advent song, such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

The widespread use of electricity in our society may make us less aware of the value and importance of light. Gather your family in a darkened room to re-engage with the power of the metaphor that Jesus offers. Bring only one flashlight. 

Sit together for a minute and consider what you are able to do and see in so little light. You might try opening the Bible to see whether you can read today’s Gospel. Turn on the flashlight and experiment to see how one might use it to achieve the greatest amount of light. Then read today’s Gospel by the light of the flashlight. Ask everyone to consider what it means to say that Christians are to be the light of the world. How might your family act in a way that is a light for others, a light that is worthy to put on a lampstand? Choose one thing your family will do this week to show that you are the world's light. You might choose to participate in an activity that your parish sponsors, such as helping with a food pantry. Pray together by singing “This Little Light of Mine.”
 

Families have rules. Without rules, family life would be chaos. As a family, brainstorm a list of rules that you are all called to follow in your home in order for you all to get along together. Think about rules for playtime, rules for eating, rules for how to speak to one another, rules for going out with friends, and so on. Emphasize that families follow rules as a way of showing love and respect for one another. Explain that in this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus talks about following the Law. Say: God’s Law of love can be thought of as rules that we are to follow in order to show our love and respect for one another. Read aloud this Sunday’s Gospel, Matthew 5:17–37. Talk specifically with one another about how anger is to be dealt with in your family. Conclude by praying for the grace to overcome anger and to show respect for one another as a family by following God’s Law of love.

But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me.  Don't stop them!  For the kingdom of Heaven belongs to people who are like these children."
Matthew 19:14