Grandparents

It was Holy Family Sunday. I was prepared for more of a Jesus, Mary, and Joseph theme, but that changed as I heard the lector read the first reading from Sirach. The part which struck me was the wisdom behind the exhortation to honor and care for your parents, even when they are old. "My Son, take care of your father when he is old, grieve him not as long as he lives." We buried my dad's dad two week prior so I shared the experience of being so privileged as to watch my father care for his father during his last last weeks and days. "Whoever honors his father atones for sins." The Sirach reading dominated my comments. I did eventually touch on Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, but by the time I got there, the baby who was going to be baptized at the Mass had begun to steal the spotlight. So I ended the Homily quick.