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. 1 John 2:15-17
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.
Luke 2:40
Piety
O sweet Child of Bethlehem, grant that we may
share with all our hearts
in this profound mystery of Christmas. Put into the hearts of men and women this peace for which they sometimes seek so desperately and which you alone can give to them. Help them to know one another better and to live as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father. Reveal to them also your beauty, holiness and purity. Awaken in their hearts love and gratitude for your infinite goodness. Join them all together in your love. And give us your heavenly peace. Amen. Pope John XXIII
in this profound mystery of Christmas. Put into the hearts of men and women this peace for which they sometimes seek so desperately and which you alone can give to them. Help them to know one another better and to live as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father. Reveal to them also your beauty, holiness and purity. Awaken in their hearts love and gratitude for your infinite goodness. Join them all together in your love. And give us your heavenly peace. Amen. Pope John XXIII
Study
After Jesus was born, there were several Hebrew
rituals to fulfil. The old law was still
upon him. First, Jesus was circumcised. Second, Jesus had to be formally named (even
though he was named at the Annunciation).
Finally, Mary returned to the temple forty days after the birth of her
son for her ritual purification. When
all this was done to fulfill the Old Law, Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in
the temple where the encounters with Simeon and Anna took place whose Advent
season came to a close when they encountered the baby and his parents.
Michael Card, in his book Luke: The Gospel of Astonishment notes
that of the nine times that the word “law” appears in this book, five instances
are here in Chapter Two. These old laws
will start to pass away after Jesus grows into adulthood and starts his public
ministry from the same place we see him now – in the temple. However, that
bridge has not yet been crossed.
No one would argue that the years in Nazareth
were formative years. However, we know
little about what happens after Mary and Joseph return home with the unrecorded
blessing of Anna upon them and the Spirit upon their son. Anna never left the temple. But once Jesus reads from the Torah, his
ministry goes beyond this protected zone but always filled with the Spirit upon
him.
Action
According to a story in the National Catholic
Reporter today, during his weekly address,[i] Pope
Francis called on Christians to take time during the continuing Christmas
season to contemplate the mystery of the child Jesus, saying his infancy shows
us the importance of being humble and letting go of our pretense of control in
life. The pontiff said that while the
Gospels do not tell us much about Jesus’ youth, we can learn much about his
childhood if we look at the life of the children around us.
“We discover,
before all, that children want our attention,” said Francis. “Why do they want
to be at the center?” he asked. “Because they are proud? No! Because they need
to feel protected.”
Francis suggested that when people go home
they take some time to contemplate the nativity scene in their house and to
kiss the representation of the baby Jesus.
The pontiff suggested people could pray: “Jesus, I want to be humble
like you, humble like God.”
[i] http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/francis-child-jesus-shows-mystery-god-s-humility-our-need-let-go
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