--- title: "Lectio the Liturgy: Sunday, December 29, 2024" description: Julie Storr shares a reflection on the Prayer After Communion for the Feast of the Holy Family. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/holy%20familiy.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/lectio-the-liturgy-sunday-december-29-2024#) [FAITH](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/faith) # Lectio the Liturgy: Sunday, December 29, 2024 Dec 28, 2024 1:00:00 PM  |  by [Julie Storr](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/julie-storr) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/holy%20familiy.png) *Julie Storr shares a reflection on the Prayer After Communion for the Feast of the Holy Family.* --- This week we Lectio the Liturgy with the Prayer After Communion for the Feast of the Holy Family. > Bring those you refresh with this heavenly Sacrament, most merciful Father, to imitate constantly the example of the Holy Family, so that, after the trials of this world, we may share their company for ever. Through Christ our Lord.   If I would write a list of the benefits of Holy Communion, I must admit that “refresh” might be a word I wouldn’t think of right away. To me, the verb “refresh” may seem somewhat light. In the Latin form of the prayer, for refresh, we find the word “reficis,” which means to make anew, or to make again. I thought of it this way: to refresh means to fluff the pillows on the couch, to remake means to put a Lego set back together. Somedays I need a refresh, on other days, I definitely need a remake. Without the heavenly Sacrament, we are unable to be refreshed, or made anew, enabling us to imitate the example of the Holy Family. Actually, in the Latin form of the prayer, the word for “example” is plural, which tells us that there are many ways to imitate the Holy Family. They show us how to live a life of trust in the Father’s plan. As models of deep trust, they also show us what it means to live in deep peace. The Holy Family is also an example living a life of holiness, they are models of love, and they teach us how to live in community and we are called to be just like them. While we do want to imitate the Holy Family in this life so that after our trials, we can share their company in the next, we also need to remember that when God breathed His life into us, we are living eternity now. We are called to share in the trust, holiness, peace, love, and fraternity, today. There’s just one thing that stands in our way: the trials of this world.   ![holy family social](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/holy%20family%20social.png?width=1080&height=1080&name=holy%20family%20social.png)     --- Copyright 2024 Julie Storr Images: Canva ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Flectio-the-liturgy-sunday-december-29-2024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Flectio-the-liturgy-sunday-december-29-2024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Flectio-the-liturgy-sunday-december-29-2024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Lectio%20the%20Liturgy%3A%20Sunday%2C%20December%2029%2C%202024) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Flectio-the-liturgy-sunday-december-29-2024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Flectio-the-liturgy-sunday-december-29-2024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Julie Storr](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Julie%20Storr%20-%20Julie%20Storr.jpg) ### [Julie Storr](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/julie-storr) Julie Storr surprised herself when she went from “never ever going to be Catholic” to a lover of the lectionary. Her thirst for the Faith is never quenched and she is always surprised at the depth of the relationship with Christ that one can find in the Catholic Church. She and her husband live in Pocahontas, Iowa. Visit her website at [LectioTheLiturgy.com](https://www.lectiotheliturgy.com). [**](https://www.facebook.com/LectioTheLiturgy) ## Related Blog Articles [ Lectio the Liturgy: Sunday, January 29, 2023 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/lectio-the-liturgy-sunday-january-29-2023) [ Lectio the Liturgy: Sunday, April 2, 2023 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/lectio-the-liturgy-sunday-april-2-2023) [ Lectio the Liturgy: Sunday, November 27, 2022 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/lectio-the-liturgy-sunday-november-27-2022) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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