When we think of history – we often think of individual great men ruling nation-states – great geopolitical struggles – wars, and battles. Sometimes, we also consider trade and economics, the movement of money, and the influence of wealth – if one is particularly sophisticated, one might also consider climate, geography, technology, and weather. However, all of this misses something at the core, at the base of history and civilization – the family!
The modern concept of a nation-state is indeed modern – first really existing in the 18th Century and not becoming widespread until the 19th Century. The state has not existence separated from persons – persons from families - Throughout most of history, it was towns governed by a lord – giving loyalty to other rulers, a lord whose title was handed down through the family – in Medieval Europe, one can think of the local lord and his family, swearing fealty to perhaps a Duke – and his family – with a responsibility passed down – and the Duke – perhaps – having loyalty to a King – and his family – passed down through generations. To understand a kingdom – one must understand the family from which the king came.
The health of the kingdom – the quality of the governance – depended on the health of those families in charge – the ability to hand be a school of virtue one generation to the next – the collapse of a crown or title often had less to do with military defeat, then the collapse of the family. Politics was the story of family relations. History the rise and fall of families – One cannot understand history without the family!
It is not just in kingdoms, but from the very foundation of civilization - for how did civilization start? – Not with constitutions or structures of the modern state – but with families living together – and one came to be in charge to create order – that responsibility resting in a family – responsibilities handed down through Generations. A people develop through the relationships of families – how many cities have a single family at the foundation of their found myths? – for Rome – the brothers Romulus and Remus.
Even today, it is the family that is at the foundation of society – while many companies may be handed through families -they might not be passing down political offices today – and there are structures and constitution of the modern state – but all those who hold office are formed by the virtue of a family –it is in families that people are born – it is in families that the basics of life and virtue, right and wrong are tought – it is in the family that the importance prayer and faith are taught – kids can be dropped off at school or CCD to learn about prayer – but they learn to pray next to their parents – A school can teach math – but not that truth is important – that comes – often by osmosis – from the family – Even American history is the history of families – families immigrating – families building companies – families building farms – families seeking education.
Turning to Scripture – we have a history of the family – for in Genesis, Scripture starts off with male and female – Adam and Eve – with the command – “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.” – yet sin came fast – first Adam and Eve – and promptly original sin – then the next generation Cain murders his brother Abel. – sin destroys the family - sin destroys the soul!
Yet it is in the family that God acts – For it is Abraham – then called Abram, with a great promise – “The Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” – God has acted through a family – and a few generations later, the twelve tribes of Israel from the sons of Jacob, the son of Issac, the son of Abraham – Israel’s foundation is a family.
Many generations later, of the tribe of Judah, David would become king – a shepherd from a family – and the throne will remain in his house - Yet read in the Old Testament the Books of Kings – or of Chronicles – Disaster comes – for the sin and war are in the family – first the kingdom splits – eventually it falls – sent into exile – the history of Israel is the history of a family. – one of faith and covenant – but also of sin – disfunction – collapse.
Rise and fall – Strength and Weakness - Faith and idolatry – no civilization is stronger than the families therein. This was true in medieval Europe – it was true in Rome –was true for ancient Israel
And it is in this history that Christ enters – for there in a manger he was born – in a particular place – at a particular time – in a particular family – For history is the story of families – and Christ enters in the family – there in Bethlehem – living family life – those early years living in Nazareth– his childhood, learning – learning a trade from St Joseph – the trade of a craftsman – but also of faith and religion – it was in the family that Christ learned the scriptures, celebrating the rituals of the synagogue and the temple – learning the practice of religion there in a family - Jesus, Mary, and Joseph – the quite hidden life of Christ, for he was not just born in a manger – he was born into a family – and family life.
History is the history of families – often an ugly one of sin – destruction – and the collapse of families is true through history – including today -, but it is into this that Christ is born of the salvation of the world – again – through a family. – Redemption in history – through a family – where Christ, the son of God – the second person of the trinity – the Holy Family.