“God chose a humble and simple family through which to come into our midst.” Pope Francis said during an Angelus address on December 26, the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. “Let us contemplate in amazement the beauty of this mystery, emphasizing two concrete aspects for our families.”

These two aspects are “the family is the story from which we originate” and “we need to learn each day how to be a family.” To “protect harmony in the family,” the Pope advised, “the dictatorship of the ‘I’ needs to be fought – when the ‘I’ inflates. It is dangerous when, instead of listening to each other, we blame each other for mistakes; when, rather than showing care for each other, we are fixated on our own needs; when instead of dialoguing, we isolate ourselves with our mobile phones.”

“Let us pray a little bit together – if you can make the effort – to ask God for the gift of peace,” he concluded. “And let us all commit ourselves – parents, children, Church, society – to sustain, defend and safeguard the family which is our treasure! May the Virgin Mary, the spouse of Joseph, the mamma of Jesus, protect our families.”