CV NEWS FEED // A marriage ministry recently highlighted the Holy Family as a “wellspring of inspiration and wisdom” to look to when navigating complex familial and societal relationships.
Communio is a marriage ministry that partners with Catholic and Christian churches across the United States to strengthen and save marriages by encouraging them to grow in holiness. Founded by J.P. De Gance in 2018, Communio helps couples pursue their vocation of marriage with the support of the broader community.
In a recent article, Communio’s Ministry Services Manager Christian Alexandrou described how Jesus, Mary, and Joseph perfectly live out their unique roles as individuals within a larger community.
Citing American sociologist Carle Zimmerman’s 1947 book Family and Civilization, Alexandrou wrote that there are three archetypal family structures: the “trustee” family, the “domestic” family, and the “atomistic” family.
These archetypes provide a “framework” for understanding family life in the modern world, Alexandrou explained, continuing:
By closely examining the Holy Family through this lens, we unravel intricate layers of complexity in familial relationships and discern their profound impact on the trajectory of human civilization
The trustee family, Alexandrou explained, is “characterized by strong intergenerational bonds and a focus on community welfare, [and] seen as conducive to societal stability.”
He wrote that the Holy Family embodies the trustee archetype because in their daily life, “communal welfare and shared values take center stage,” as they all remain dedicated to God’s divine plan.
The shared responsibilities, common purpose, and interconnectedness that this archetype encourages also fosters “a sense of belonging and mutual support” that can be extended outside the immediate family, “towards the betterment of the entire community,” he wrote.
One example of this is when, after the Annunciation, Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist.
“This act of solidarity and shared celebration underscores the deep bonds of love and support within the extended family network,” Alexandrou wrote:
Mary’s selflessness in journeying to Elizabeth’s home, despite facing her own challenges, exemplifies the trustee family’s ethos of prioritizing communal welfare and shared joy.
The second archetype—the domestic family—focuses on private life and individual traditional familial roles, and is not to be confused with the “hyper-individualism” promoted by the third archetype.
“Joseph, in his role as the head of the household, emerges as a paragon of sacrificial love and service aligned with God’s divine plan,” Alexandrou wrote. Especially by leading them in the flight into Egypt, Joseph’s “commitment to providing and protecting Mary and Jesus becomes an exemplary manifestation of the domestic family’s focus on individual roles and responsibilities within the household.”
Mary also exemplifies “the sacrificial nature of familial love” through her identity as a wife and mother, he argued.
“Mary’s support for Joseph—who is following the angel’s annunciations—and her nurturing care for Jesus illustrate the profound sacrifices made within the domestic family structure,” he continued:
Her presence alongside Jesus as he carried the Cross and was crucified exemplifies her commitment to her familial duties, but more importantly, to God’s divine will, even in the face of immense pain and sorrow.
The role of the child in the domestic family archetype, to honor and obey his parents, is also exemplified by Jesus, Alexandrou wrote. The finding of the Child Jesus in the temple shows Jesus being obedient to His mother and foster father by returning home with them.
“Despite being the Son of God, Jesus humbly embraced his role within the domestic family unit, acknowledging the authority and guidance of Mary and Joseph,” Alexandrou wrote. “This act of obedience underscores the importance of familial bonds and the mutual respect and love that define the domestic family archetype.”
The third archetype, the atomistic family, Alexandrou wrote, is “marked by extreme individualism and weak family ties,” and “is associated with the decline of civilizations.”
The Holy Family “challenges” this hyper-individualistic archetype through their dependence and abandonment to God’s Will and guidance, he argued. By “recognizing a higher purpose that guides and unifies their individual roles,” the Holy Family defeats “individualistic tendencies.”
“The Holy Family,” Aleandrou wrote, “serves as a compelling example that not only enriches our comprehension of intricate relationships within families in our society today but also provides a timeless template for understanding the complexities inherent in familial and societal dynamics.”
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