By Colleen O’Sullivan
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. (Luke 2:41-51a)
Piety
O Lord,
may I always be faithful to your leading as was Joseph.
Study
After
Mary and Joseph finally located Jesus in the temple, I can imagine Joseph
praying something like this: O Lord, I thank you with all my heart for
leading us to the temple. I have been
sick with worry for days, not knowing what happened to Jesus. He is such a precious gift to Mary and
me. I know I didn’t think so at first. I have always wished I could take back some of
the things I said to Mary when she told me she was with child. I had a vision of our life together in our
village, having children, raising a family, me passing on my carpentry skills
to my sons. When she told me her news, I
could practically hear that dream shattering.
It was only later that I remembered the rest of what she said about the
visit from the angel. At first, that
only made me angrier. All I could see
was that she had been unfaithful to me and then tried to cover it up with a
wild story about the Holy Spirit being responsible.
I am sorry now that I ever doubted her or even for
an instant considered divorcing her. I
am so grateful to you, Lord, for sending your angel to me in that dream,
telling me that everything Mary said was true.
I changed my mind and took her into my home as my wife and have never
regretted it. My life would be so much
poorer without her and Jesus.
He belongs to you, but I have done my best to be a
good father to Jesus. I know he is
special. That has been obvious from the
moment of his conception. I could
scarcely take in what the shepherds reported when they came to see him as a
newborn. I’m still not sure what either
Simeon or Anna were talking about when we presented him in the Temple. I have no idea why magi from the east would seek
him out or why Herod would want to kill him.
But I know there is something extraordinary about this child. I have taught him all I know, but he has
surpassed me in learning. The things he
comes up with and the questions he asks!
Above all, thank you, Lord, for leading me on this
journey of love, a journey I might have walked away from were it not for you.
This has been so much better than any dream I ever had for my life. Thank you for entrusting your son to my care. May I ever be your faithful servant.
Action
We all have dreams and hopes for our lives. When has God ever asked you to put aside your
plans and set before you a different path?
What was your response?
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