Child Jesus in The Temple

Listening to the Spirit

Lord, thank you for the gift of Your Word so that all your people may know and love You more and understand You better. As I go about my day may I not forget the scriptures you have opened up for me. Help me to recognize how You want for me to apply Your Word to my daily life. Holy Spirit, guided by Your Word, may You enlighten my mind and enkindle in my heart a greater love for You and for others in my family and in the world.

Amen.

Listening to the Word

Luke 2:41-52

Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “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 said to them.

He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

Reflection

Viva Pit Senior!
Happy Fiesta of Sto. Nino!

St John Paul II, who initiated the so-called World Day of Families, said that the family was used by God as a "door" to enter and belong to humanity, and, in doing so, He made all families holy.

Mary and Joseph let God enter their family when they welcomed Jesus, the Son of God. The Lord made their house a home. And they not only allowed Him to enter but embraced Him, nurtured Him, loved Him, and shared Him with others.

But it was not only sweet and cute memories this family had. Jesus separated from Mary and Joseph. The Gospel does not say that Jesus was lost, neither does it tell us that Mama Mary and St. Joseph lost Jesus. However, Luke in the Gospel reports that Joseph and Mary were looking for Jesus with great anxiety.

When they did not find Him around, they immediately returned to Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary did not fight. They did not curse. They did not blame each other, nor did they persist in their delusion. Instead, they returned to Jerusalem and found Him in the Temple. Where did Mary and Joseph find Jesus?  In the Temple. Where did their family form again in complete?  In the Temple.  In the house of God. 

This is a very important reminder for us. When our family suffers from disunity, let's go to the Temple there God will build our family up again. When something seems to be missing in our family life, let's look in the Temple: maybe God is missing. Maybe Jesus is lacking in our family. When our family faces any threat of disintegration and complete destruction, we take refuge in the Temple because God is our refuge. 

Joseph and Mary were anxiously looking for Jesus, while Jesus, on the other hand, was busy with the works of God, His Father. So, when they found Jesus, they not only reunited with Him, but He brought them even closer to God. Hopefully, we are like that too.

We need the Child Jesus in the Temple. We need His wisdom and power. We need to be like the child Jesus in the Temple who worries not but to be united and have communion with the Father. We need to be like the Child Jesus in the Temple, who depends His whole life on the Father.

In our journey of faith, we may experience separation from Jesus. There are moments when it seems we lost Him; we could not find and see His presence. Let us be like Joseph and Mary: let us experience Great Anxiety for our separation with Jesus. Let us have this great anxiety when we leave Jesus behind in our life. Let us return and search for Him with great anxiety. We will find Him and unite with Him again.