Feast of the Holy Family ~ A Reflection

Feast of the Holy Family

1 Sam 1:20-22, 24-28

Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10

1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24

Lk 2:41-52

As we read Luke's Gospel today, we can easily identify with the boy Jesus, who in his humanity acted just like any other 12-year old who considered himself a man.  Indeed, by age 12, Jesus was only a year away from celebrating his Bar Mitzvah, the age at which he would be considered responsible for his actions... 13, being the age of his rite of passage to adulthood.

So instead of leaving Jerusalem with his parents, Jesus decided to stay among the scholars and teachers in the temple.  He wanted to listen to them and to ask questions, not to go home with his parents.  The teachers were amazed at his understanding and probably never thought that he did not live in the city.

In the meantime, Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus was not among their relatives as they had thought.  Immediately, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.  You can imagine the fear they must have felt for his safety.  Finally, after three days, they found Jesus in the temple among the teachers and scholars.  Jesus seemed to have no concern that he had caused his parents so much worry; after all, "Did you not know I must be in my Father's house."

But Jesus, an obedient son, returned to Nazareth with his parents and remained with them.

How so like our own families.  All of us experience times of fear and misunderstanding in our own families, whether we be parents, caregivers or children.  Jesus had a mother and a foster father... many of our own families are different from the usual nuclear family.  Some of our families consist of a parent or grandparent, children and other extended family members.  Few of our families are perfect; but all of our families can be holy.

Holiness is the continual striving to be what God wants us to be.  In the first letter of John, we learn that we are, first of all, God's children.  We are part of God's family and that he loves us like a Father loves his children.  He asks us to keep his commandments and do what pleases him; that is, to believe in his Son Jesus Christ and to love one another as he has commanded.  This love first happens in our families.  The home is where we first learn how to love one another and then beyond the family, those whom we meet as we go out into the world.

Just as Jesus advanced in wisdom and age during his hidden years, so we also grow up; some of us to create our own families; others to become part of different types of family groupings, such as pastors or members of a parish family, or Sisters living in religious communities...  all of us striving to become what God wants us to be.



~ Image Source: The Holy Family