Sunday Mass Gospel
Reflection
A Reading
from the holy Gospel
according to
Luke 2:41-52
Every year his parents used to go to Jerusalem
for the feast of the Passover. When he was
twelve years old, they went up for the feast as
usual. When the days of the feast were over
and they set off home, the boy Jesus stayed
behind in Jerusalem without his parents
knowing it. They assumed he was somewhere
in the party, and it was only after a day’s
journey that they went to look for him among
their relations and acquaintances. When they
failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem
looking for him everywhere. It happened that,
three days later, they found him in the Temple,
sitting among the teachers, listening to them,
and asking them questions; and all those who
heard him were astounded at his intelligence
and his replies. They were overcome when they
saw him, and his mother said to him, ‘My child,
why have you done this to us? See how worried
your father and I have been, looking for you.’
He replied, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did
you not know that I must be in my Father’s
house?’ But they did not understand what he
meant. He went down with them then and
came to Nazareth and lived under their
authority. His mother stored up all these things
in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom, in
stature, and in favor with God and with people.
December 26, 2021
When speaking with families, particularly those with
young children, it is unavoidable that the difficulty of raising a
family today is compared to that of the past. There is always a
comparison to be made between what happened in the past and
what is happening now, as well as what the future may hold.
Raising a family presents obstacles in the past, present, and
future, regardless of time period. Every generation will face new
obstacles, whether it is managing family and career or failing to
instill moral and religious values. How can we look to the Holy
Family of Nazareth for guidance in these turbulent times?
The fundamental goal was to demonstrate that Jesus was
the Son of God in the form of a twelve-year-old kid, and that from
the beginning, He was set on obeying and carrying out the will of
the Heavenly Father. However, we can presume that the wisdom
that comes from Jesus must have been a way of life in Mary and
Joseph's home as well.
Today's Gospel tale marks Jesus' transition from childhood
to manhood, and it's reasonable to infer that Mary and Joseph
were Jesus' major "faith teachers" during His childhood. The fact
that Mary and Joseph undertook this pilgrimage to Jerusalem's
Temple demonstrates that they were devout individuals who
wanted to obey God by travelling to the Temple as the law
required. As a result, the child Jesus was not unfamiliar with the
concept of obeying God; he saw it in Mary and Joseph and
decided to follow in their footsteps.
Parents are always concerned about their children's future
prospects. None of us has any idea what the future holds for us.
The only thing one can hope for is that a solid foundation is set at
a young age and that it be maintained throughout one's life. Jesus
was heavenly and fully human at the same time. He must have
learned principles and virtues from Mary and Joseph, not only
what they told Him, but what they lived by.