THE WORD
Gone Missing Lk 2: 41-52
It is less than a week since Christmas and already the Gospel reading has jumped twelve years to when Jesus is on the cusp of becoming a teenager. Mary and Joseph have gone to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. Three times a year the Jewish people celebrate major festivals -Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles – and it was customary in the time of Jesus for Jewish males to visit the temple for these feasts.
Mary and Joseph, devout Jews, would have considered it important to take their son along with them. It is a happy occasion, but then Jesus goes missing. His parents think he is with one of the other families in the group and when they realise that he is not, they are distraught. They rush back to Jerusalem and eventually find him sitting in the temple answering questions and talking to the adults, oblivious to their distress.
Mary and Joseph are puzzled and hurt when they find him, and they question him as to why he had left them. He tells them he has been about his heavenly Father’s business. They remain puzzled. They do not fully understand the mission of Jesus, and they must ponder the mystery of it all.
Jesus returns with them to Nazareth and grows in stature and in wisdom, learning about life and about faith from his parents.
SAY
“Lord, bless my family, and all families. Help us to grow rich in what matters most of all – love, unity and joy
PRAY .
“Pray for all familes who are divided and broken and for all who have family members who are missing, that they will have the courage to remain hopeful.
LEARN
- As Christians we are not a loose collection of individuals. We are one community, one family, the family of the People of God
- Like Jesus, who in today’s Gospel tells his parents he is doing his Father’s businss, we are called to place God our Father at the centre of our life
- Spirituality can be different for every person
DO
Take some time today to tell your family members, wherever they may be, how much you love them. Visit them, if possible, or phone them, or send them an email or text message
