The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

Optional Memorial of Saint Sylvester I, Pope
 
Proper readngs for the Memorial of St. Sylvester I
 
Biographical information about St. Sylvester I

“The Creation of Adam”
by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1508-12

 
Readings for the Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 John 2:18-21
 
Children, it is the last hour;
and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming,
so now many antichrists have appeared.
Thus we know this is the last hour.
They went out from us, but they were not really of our number;
if they had been, they would have remained with us.
Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.
But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One,
and you all have knowledge.
I write to you not because you do not know the truth
but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 2:18-21
 
After telling his community that they were armed against evil by their knowledge of Christ, the author now tells them that the hour is near. Christ has died and is risen, and the second coming must be approaching. He warns them to be alert and watch out for the antichrist. (This designation occurs only in the writings of St. John. In Matthew and Mark, they are called false messiahs, in St. Paul’s letters the same person(s) is designated “lawless one.”) This group of “antichrists” mentioned by the biblical authors seems to indicate a group of persons who were teaching falsely about Jesus.
 
St. John identifies these antichrists as individuals who schismatically leave the faith community, holding false premises. He then tells those who are faithful to be steadfast because they are anointed in the truth.
 
CCC: 1 Jn 2:18 670, 672, 675; 1 Jn 2:20 91, 695
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
 
R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all you lands.
Sing to the Lord; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the Lord.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
The Lord comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
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Commentary on Ps 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
 
This song of praise exhorts the people to praise the Lord for his wondrous works of creation. The reason for this exhortation is that God will come to rule the earth with his justice. In this passage we see the forerunner of the understanding of the new Jerusalem – the heavenly kingdom.
 
CCC: Ps 96:2 2143
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Gospel: John 1:1-18
 
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
 
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
 
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
 
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
 
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth.
 
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.
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Commentary on Jn 1:1-18
 
The introduction of St. John’s Gospel first provides the description of the relationship of God and Jesus who is the Logos – or Word of God. The Word is light to the world and all things are subordinate to the Word because they were created by and through the Word.
 
St. John then introduces John the Baptist as one who came to testify to the light (now homologous above with the Word). His message, like that of Jesus, was not accepted by the very people created by the Lord. He goes on to say that those who accept Christ are adopted by God.
 
Concluding this selection, the evangelist makes his own profession as he speaks of the incarnation of the eternal Son as “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” His divinity is once more established as he says, “we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son.” This was the message St. John tells us he was sent to bring. He then reestablishes himself as messenger and servant of the one who sent him, Jesus. He says that while Moses brought the Law, Christ came and revealed God himself.
 
CCC: Jn 1:1-3 291; Jn 1:1 241, 454, 2780; Jn 1:3 268; Jn 1:4 612; Jn 1:6 717; Jn 1:7 719; Jn 1:9 1216; Jn 1:11 530; Jn 1:12-18 1996; Jn 1:12-13 706; Jn 1:12 526, 1692; Jn 1:13 496, 505, 526; Jn 1:14 423, 445, 454, 461, 594, 705, 2466; Jn 1:16 423, 504; Jn 1:17 2787; Jn 1:18 151, 454, 473
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Reflection:
 
We are once more awed by the opening phrases of St. John’s Gospel as he tells us: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Even as we reflect on the profound implications of these words, we are struck by the contrast in tone of the evangelist’s First Letter that was our first reading.
 
There is something important in that first reading, something that is central to our belief in the Word.  If we truly believe in the truth – that “In the Beginning” (before time, before creation) Christ existed in the Father and with the Father, “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” –  when we believe this there is a transformation within us.  That transformation is accomplished in us by God at our baptism and sealed in us at our confirmation.  If some later event occurs that drives us away from God, if some antichrist or false teacher places a wedge between us and God, that change of character is still there.
 
In the Detroit Michigan area, a few years ago a 15-year-old boy was in jail for shooting and killing a police officer.  They treated him as an adult.  As the image of this young man was shown on the TV screen sitting in the court room, we could not help but wonder where had he been twisted?  At what point had those entrusted with the light of faith failed to protect him from those who had taught him to disrespect civil authority, that violence was an acceptable path?
 
St. John is speaking to his congregation about a different sort of situation. He speaks of those converted but not baptized, who were, in a sense, shopping for something to believe in.  When they fell away from the Christian community and began persecuting the Christians, some of the faithful wondered if God’s saving hand had left them. 
 
In our day and age, we see the same kind of thing from time to time as aspirants “explore” the faith, desperate to find something in which to believe.  We know that those who leave, who reject the faith, often find it too difficult.  It requires them to change their lifestyles, attitudes, or secular views more than they are willing or able to do. In the analogy of the light of faith, they blaze instantly, like flash powder, but then go completely dark – essentially burning out.
 
Belief in the Logos, the Word made flesh, and all that is implied by that belief, is hard.  Belief, true belief, requires us to act in certain ways, and often respond with counterintuitive actions, not in our best interests but out of love.  In this upcoming year, let us pledge to become more in tune with the Word, who was and is.  Let us work diligently to help the world become a better place where young people (and old) will not be left to the false teachers and antichrists of our day.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used today is “The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1508-12.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Readings for the Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas [1]

“Presentation of Jesus at the Temple”
by Palma Giovane c. 1600

 

Reading from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 John 2:12-17
 
I am writing to you, children,
because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake.
 
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
 
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have conquered the Evil One.
 
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
 
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
 
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong and the word of God remains in you,
and you have conquered the Evil One.
 
Do not love the world or the things of the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life,
is not from the Father but is from the world.
Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.
But whoever does the will of God remains forever.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 2:12-17
 
St. John addresses his audience individually on sin and forgiveness using an interesting metaphor for the Trinity: children, fathers, young men. The believing community he addresses is armed through faith against the evil one. He focuses in his last paragraph on avoiding the secular world. He exhorts them to separate themselves from “things” of the world, saying that they are of the world and therefore unworthy of special care; they lead the faithful away from God (see also John 17:9-26 and John 15:18-27).
 
CCC: 1 Jn 2:16 377, 2514, 2534
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:7-8a, 8b-9, 10
 
R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
Bring gifts, and enter his courts;
worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
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Commentary on Ps 96:7-8a, 8b-9, 10
 
While Psalm 96 is a song of praise, the psalmist reminds us that even in praise we need to offer what we have in gratitude. The structure is familiar: first we are given the audience ("you families of nations"), then the response ("bring gifts, and enter his courts"), and finally praise of God as a response ("he governs the peoples with equity").
 
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Gospel: Luke 2:36-40
 
There was a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
 
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
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Commentary on Lk 2:36-40
 
Continuing the story surrounding the presentation of Jesus, in this passage St. Luke describes the prophetess, Anna. This role, for widows to prophesy in the temple, was not uncommon. The symbolism depicting Anna has clear linkage back to Old Testament events. It begins with the number seven. Rabbinical literature recognizes seven as the number of prophetesses: Sarah and Miriam in Exodus 15:20, Deborah in  Judges 4:4, Hannah mother of Samuel in 1 Samuel 2:1, Abigail wife of David in 1 Samuel 25:32, Huldah in 2 Kings 22:14, and Esther. These women gave witness to God’s will, at least in their holiness, and spoke in his name. Anna, in this prophetic role (Phanuel translates as “face of God” and Asher as “good luck”), echoes the words of Simeon saying that this young baby (Jesus) is the redemption of Jerusalem. The city, in this instance, represents all of the elect.
 
The final verses provide a glimpse of Jesus’ necessary hidden life in Nazareth. He grows in faith and stature in preparation for the mission assigned to him (we note the favor of God was also assigned to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Luke 1:30). Luke’s description of St. John (Luke 1:80) the Baptist parallels this short synopsis of Jesus’ early life.  [4]
 
CCC: Lk 2:38 711
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Reflection:
 
The timing of the first reading from 1 John is very good.  It is almost a week since the great secular glut of commercial Christmas and its aftermath, the post-Christmas feeding frenzy.  Just as we see the children tiring of their new toys and games and the adults thinking about returning to the routines of the world, the evangelist addresses himself to us.  He reminds us first about the meaning of the Nativity whose octave we are still in: “your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake.”  He then goes on to restate the great Christian paradox found in his own Gospel, to be part of the world but separate from it. 
 
The evangelist warns us about what we just went through: “sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life”; all part of the commercial Christmas.  It is so pervasive that in the U.S., even religious people of non-Christian denominations gather and buy gifts with no attachment whatsoever to the birth of the Savior.
 
These are not the things of God but, as St. John says, things of the world.  The Christian must be in the world but stand apart from it.  What is truly important is not how well we did “under the tree,” but how well we did by the standards of him who loves us. The Lord came as not just a symbol of love, but love itself, into the world.  St. Luke gives us extra evidence using the prophetess Anna, demonstrating that God’s plan for our redemption requires our constant vigilance.  Even as we think about taking extra good care of the new golf clubs or the new appliance, we should ask ourselves what we are doing to take care of what is really important in ourselves.
 
Today we are reminded of our Christian duty and the role we are called to play in God’s plan.  He casts us into the world like seeds so that we might transform it (not be transformed by it).  Today our voices join with the prophetess Anna in thanking God for the gift of the Christ Child and pledging to rededicate ourselves to the cause which brought him into the world.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “Presentation of Jesus at the Temple” by Palma Giovane c. 1600.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] The Gospel of Luke by Pablo T. Gadenz © 2018, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids MI, p. 72.

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Catechism Links [1]
CCC 531-534: the Holy Family
CCC 1655-1658, 2204-2206: the Christian family, a domestic Church
CCC 2214-2233: duties of family members
CCC 534, 583, 2599: the Finding in the Temple
CCC 64, 489, 2578: Hannah and Samuel
CCC 1, 104, 239, 1692, 1709, 2009, 2736: we are God’s children now
CCC 163, 1023, 1161, 2519, 2772: we shall see him face to face and be like him

“The Holy Family”
by Claudio Coello, c. 1685

 
Readings for the Feast of the Holy Family [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Note: In Dioceses of the United States all the options below are available.  The readings specific to the C Cycle (*) are 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28, Psalm 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10, 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24, and Luke 2:41-52.
 
Reading 1: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
 
God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
 
My son, take care of your father when he is old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.
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Commentary on Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
 
"Throughout the book each doctrinal passage is followed by a section to do with practical applications, sapiential [wisdom] thoughts on moral conduct, eulogies of virtues and sapiential advice on where to seek things that are truly good, etc. This is the first such section. In it the reader will find an exhortation to prudence in all its various forms." [5]
 
This selection from Sirach is an exposition of the commandment to honor your father and mother. It goes into greater length about the positive benefits that come to the person who does so. It is also consistent with the early Hebrew belief that the honor received by the father of a household was transferred to the children (just as in the omitted verses 8-11, the sins are also transmitted to the children).
 
CCC: Sir 3:2-6 2218; Sir 3:12 2218
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Or
*First Reading: 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
 
 In those days Hannah conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.
The next time her husband Elkanah was going up
with the rest of his household
to offer the customary sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vows,
Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband,
“Once the child is weaned,
I will take him to appear before the LORD
and to remain there forever;
I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite.”
 
Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him up with her,
along with a three-year-old bull,
an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,
and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.
After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull,
Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said:
“Pardon, my lord!
As you live, my lord,
I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”
Hannah left Samuel there.
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Commentary on 1 Sm 1:20-22, 24-28
 
The story of the birth of Samuel to the previously barren Hannah is strikingly parallel to the conception and birth of St. John the Baptist. Both mothers, Hannah and Elizabeth, dedicated their sons to God. In the case of Samuel, his mother, in these verses, offers him as a “nazirite": from the Hebrew word nazir, meaning, "set apart as sacred, dedicated, vowed." The nazirite vow could be either for a limited period or for life. Those bound by this vow had to abstain from all the products of the grapevine, from cutting or shaving their hair, and from contact with a corpse. They were regarded as men of God like the prophets, cf. Amos 2:11-12. Examples of lifelong nazirites were Samson (Judges 13:4-5; 7; 16:17), Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11), and John the Baptizer (Luke 1:15). At the time of Christ the practice of taking the nazirite vow for a limited period seems to have been quite common, even among the early Christians; cf. Acts 18:18; 21:23-24; 26.” [6]
 
In this case Hannah dedicates Samuel for life and she left him to be trained with the priests.
 
CCC 1 Sm 1 489
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
 
R. (cf. 1) Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
 
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
   who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
 
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
   in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
   around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
 
Behold, thus is the man blessed
   who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
   may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
   all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
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Commentary on Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
 
Psalm 128 is a song of thanksgiving. It begins here with the typical blessings given to those following and having faith in the Lord. This selection uses the analogy of the family and the blessing it brings to the faithful, using the symbolism of vines and olives, imagery commonly used in Sacred Scripture.
 
It also supports the creation of woman and the marriage theme in Genesis 2:18-25. It is the logical extension of the two becoming one flesh and the children flowing from that union.
 
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OR: Psalm 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10
 
R. (cf. 5a) Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
 
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
 
Happy they who dwell in your house!
Continually they praise you.
Happy the men whose strength you are!
Their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
 
O LORD of hosts, hear our prayer;
hearken, O God of Jacob!
O God, behold our shield,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10
 
Psalm 84 was used to celebrate pilgrimages to the temple in Jerusalem (three times a year). In these strophes the singer extols the virtue of those that are faithful and concludes with praise to the “anointed” king “our shield.”
 
CCC: Ps 84:3 1156, 2633
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Reading II: Colossians 3:12-21
 
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him. 
 
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives,
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
so they may not become discouraged.
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Commentary on Col 3:12-21
 
St. Paul exhorts the Colossians with a litany of positive attitudes that culminate in the cardinal axiom of the faith: “love one another.”  He goes on to implore them to let the peace of Christ control their every action and to praise God constantly through Jesus, God’s only Son.
 
The passage describes the rather controversial family hierarchy of the era portrayed by St. Paul. This entire section of the letter is a discourse on harmony within the family of Christ. It is important to note the instruction given in the first part of this reading. Paul describes the Christian rules for relationships: “Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another.”
 
When the subordinated relationships are described in the verses following, equality in membership in the family is established.
 
CCC: Col 3:14 815, 1827, 1844; Col 3:16-17 1156, 2633; Col 3:16 2641; Col 3:18-21 2204; Col 3:20 2217; Col 3:21 2286
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Or: Colossians 3:12-17
 
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.  
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Commentary on Col 3:12-17
 
This shorter option omits the hierarchical relationship descriptions. Its focus remains consistent, however, driving the Pauline ideals of harmony and unity within the Christian family. 
 
CCC: Col 3:14 815, 1827, 1844; Col 3:16-17 1156, 2633; Col 3:16 2641
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Or
*Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
 
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
And so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
 
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24
 
In this selection from St. John’s first epistle, we are reminded that we are all, through our baptism, adopted children of God, and hence part of his family, the family of the faithful. St. John goes on to remind us of the obligations of that adoption: First is that we believe in Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God. Second, following the formula of the Great Commandment, is that we should love one another.
 
The ending of the chapter speaks of Christians living a life of faith in Jesus.  The Evangelist speaks of  how in faith, Christians are assured, through mutual love, that they are in the Lord and the Lord also resides in them. In adhering to this most important of commandments, the Lord becomes indwelling. As a consequence of our obedience, the love of Christ and love of each other naturally follows.
 
CCC: 1 Jn 3 2822; 1 Jn 3:1 1692; 1 Jn 3:2 163, 1023, 1161, 1720, 2519, 2772; 1 Jn 3:21 2778; 1 Jn 3:22 2631
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Gospel:  Luke 2:41-52
 
Each year Jesus’ 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.
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Commentary on Lk 2:41-52
In this account Jesus is discovered after three days (possibly symbolic to the three days in the tomb). This narrative from St. Luke tells the only story from the Gospels of Jesus growing up as a boy, part of the family with Mary and Joseph. (There are numerous stories found in the apocryphal gospels that attribute miraculous abilities and acts to the young Jesus but these are considered to be of a tradition similar to the boyhood stories of other ancient heroes such as Cyrus and Alexander by those affirming the canon of the Bible). In this account Jesus is discovered at the temple, engaged in discourse with “teachers,” implying he was in the outer halls of the temple. This would have been completely consistent with Jewish law. The implication, based on Joseph and Mary’s reaction to Jesus' actions in the temple, is that they do not completely understand their son’s mission at this point in his life.
 
We note that he is listening and answering questions and is not presuming upon his station to brag or put himself forward. When Mary and Joseph found him, we are told that Jesus asked “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” This statement connotes a familiarity with God the Father, for the first time identifying that relationship over the role fulfilled by St. Joseph, his foster father.
 
Above all, the Blessed Virgin Mary treasures the gift of her son, knowing the greatness in him and beginning to understand the sorrow that had been predicted.
 
CCC: Lk 2:41-52 534; Lk 2:41 583; Lk 2:46-49 583; Lk 2:48-49 503; Lk 2:49 2599; Lk 2:51-52 531; Lk 2:51 517, 2196, 2599; Lk 2:52 472
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Reflection:
 
The sacred texts give us a unique view of the Holy Family.  They were living very typical lives in spite of the miracle of Jesus’ birth, all that had happened regarding their flight to Egypt, and the intense search that Herod had made for the Christ Child.  We are given the story of Jesus, now twelve years old, one year short of the age at which he would have undergone his bar mişwāh.
 
The Holy Family would have come up to Jerusalem with a large number of family and friends from their home village.  This explains why Jesus would not have been missed for some time after the group began its return to Nazareth.  Jesus could have been (is assumed to have been) with family or friends, possibly with his cousins (St. John the Baptist could have been with that group).
 
Any parent can imagine the fear that must have stricken them when they realized that their son was not with the caravan.  Joseph would have remembered his dream and Mary would have remembered the words of Simeon about the sword of sorrow that would pierce her heart.  The panic they felt would have been excruciating, especially given the identity of their son.  We can imagine their prayers as they begged the Father in heaven to keep him safe and bring him back to them.
 
Three days they endured that empty fear, fear that their Holy Family would not be whole again.  Then, to their wonder and intense relief, they found him, sitting with the teachers of the faith in the temple precincts.  We can almost see Mary rush to him, Joseph right behind.  We can see Jesus looking somewhat surprised at Mother Mary’s question.  He would never purposely cause his beloved mother pain (he must have known what she was yet to endure).  He would never have purposely disrespected St. Joseph.  His question would have been innocent: “Didn’t you know I would be here?” What a telling question.  The innocence of his question tells us he presumed his holy parents knew his mission, knew what he must do, knew as much as he did about God’s plan for him.
 
The story concludes with the family returning to Nazareth and Jesus growing up as an obedient son, an example even in his youth.  We recall this story today as we remember the bond of love between mother, father and Christ Child.  
 
Families are complex in their interactions.  In Christian families, love is the bond that holds us together and because love is so powerful, it can frequently be very hurtful when a member of the family feels that bond has been forgotten or violated by inconsiderate actions.  For those who feel the warmth of love unsullied by these bruises, this holiday season can be one of great joy, for others, God willing, it can be a time of healing, and for others still, at time feeling the pain of lost consolation. 
 
In recent years, the insidious pandemic has forced many of us into isolation from family and took the lives of family members.  If your family has not been so impacted, this time should be one of great rejoicing (but cautious gathering – how ironic).
 
For those who seek to heal old wounds, we recall the incident with the Holy Family recounted in St. Luke’s Gospel.  How the fear of Jesus’ parents caused them anxiety and frustration.  This was overcome by love, and love heals all wounds.  All that was needed to allow healing was complete forgiveness, easy for Mother Mary who was without sin.
 
For those of us mourning the loss of familiar faces around the Christmas table, missing the stories of past experiences, usually outrageously funny, love and the memory that those who have passed from our sight have never passed from the sight of our loving Father and rest with him and the Holy Family now, enjoying the warmth of that hearth.
 
The Holy Family is the example of what all Christian families hope to be and struggle to achieve.  We celebrate our status as adopted children of God who, through his Son, offers us a place in his heavenly home. We look forward to a day of great unity and reunion in his kingdom.
 
Pax
 

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “The Holy Family” by Claudio Coello, c. 1685.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, except for the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Wisdom Books,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 399.
[6] NAB footnote on Numbers 6:1-3.