Becoming Living Torches of God’s Light

By John Graveline, Director of Parish Life

December 28, 2025

“[Every Christian family is called] to be a domestic church and a home where the fire of the Holy Spirit burns, spreading its warmth, bringing its gifts and experiences for the common good, and calling everyone to live in hope . . . the Holy Family of Nazareth [is] the perfect model that God offers in response to the desperate cry for help from so many families. By imitating them, our homes will become living torches of God’s light.”

– Pope Leo XIV

The Jubilee Year comes to a close this Sunday, the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, when Bishop Gruss presides at the Closing Mass at the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption in Saginaw.

This week, we will mark New Year’s Day by celebrating the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. It seems like a good time to look back with grateful hearts over the blessings and opportunities of the closing Jubilee Year and to look forward, asking ourselves how this experience of Jubilee has changed us for the better and what steps God may be calling us to take to keep the joy and hope of Christ’s Jubilee alive in our hearts going forward into the new year, both for ourselves personally and for the families, households, and church in which we are members.

Families come in all forms and sizes.

We rightfully place emphasis on the Sacrament of Matrimony and the good of the spouses and of the children to which it is ordered. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1660) However, we always keep in mind single parents, and those who are living by themselves, with extended family, or with friends. Our families also include grandchildren, great-grandchildren, foster children, nieces and nephews—some whom we live with and some whom live far away. Whatever form our families and households take, Jesus is calling us to always grow in love in the midst of our current circumstances. We also remember that “No one is without a family in this world: the Church is a home and family for everyone, especially those who labor and are heavy laden.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1658)

Here are some suggestions that I would like to offer your family or household to consider as we enter the calendar year 2026:

Make the commitment to worship at Eucharist every weekend this year. In his book, First Things First, author Stephen Covey encourages readers to let their lives be guided by their inner compass, not the clock, calendar, or immediate (seemingly urgent) tasks. Our principles determine and calibrate our inner compass. Because they are principles (“first things”), they are not “sometimes” things, but our deepest beliefs converted to consistent actions, which over time have the power to transform us. If indeed as Catholics, “the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life,” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1324) it is our first principle of faith that sets our inner compass as disciples of Jesus. Often, when weekly Mass becomes a “sometimes” thing it becomes a “rare” thing, just like when physical exercise becomes a sometimes thing it becomes a rare thing. This commitment takes a firm decision and building the consistent habit. Usually, we will not see the “gains” overnight; but over time, we will be transformed, personally and as a family.
Pray for each other and with each other each day. How often do we take a few minutes out of our day to consciously pray for each other (spouses for each other, (grand)parents for their (grand)children, for our extended family, for our friends)? How often do we pray with them? I am so grateful for our Millions of Monicas prayer ministry, where women gather weekly to pray for their children, grandchildren, godchildren! Household prayer can be gathering for a few simple prayers (Lord’s Prayer, etc.) or a family/neighborhood rosary. It can also be a 5–10-minute Examen prayer (I have copies of the format if you would like one) of gratitude and mindfulness or reading that day’s Gospel before family dinner. One parishioner recently mentioned that her and her husband decided for a year to turn off the nightly news and instead spend that half hour in prayer and Bible study. Capuchin priest Martin Pable wrote in his book Prayer: A Practical Guide that prayer is any communication where we attend to the presence of God in us and around us.
Build each other up through positive and encouraging language. So often, we begin to take the people closest to us for granted. We depend on each other, so it becomes all too easy to only see and give voice to the times when a family member has not met our expectations, whether those expectations are realistic or not. At its best, family life helps us to seek each other and call each other to become the best version of ourselves, not through criticism, but through benediction. In his book, The Life of the Beloved, spiritual writer Henri Nouwen encourages the practice of benediction (Latin: bene=good + dictio=to speak). To recognize the good in each other and to speak to each other’s best selves is the spiritual practice of benediction, “The blessings that we give to each other are expressions of the blessing that rests on us from all eternity . . . that allows us to hear in an ever-new way that we belong to a loving God who will never leave us alone, but will remind us always that we are guided by love on every step of our lives.”
Serve those in need through family community service this year. The greatest gift given to me by my maternal grandfather was his taking me and my cousins along with him to visit nursing home residents on Saturday mornings when we were teenagers and my paternal grandfather taking us along to Rotary Club events. In these times of inflation and economic uncertainty, our vision can become too narrowly focused on the needs of our own household (“Will there be enough for us?”). Community service broadens our vision and deepens our compassion (“Is there enough for them?”) The last time we served at Open Door, my son said to me, “I don’t like getting up early on Saturday morning for Open Door, but I always feel so good afterward!” Find a charitable organization that is meaningful to your household, and volunteer to serve together regularly. In this way, we can let the light of Christ shine before all and the bonds of solidary with others in our community will become more solid.

May this new year bring each of you and your families and households abundant blessings!

John