Today is the first Sunday after Christmas, and that makes today the Holy Family Sunday. The Gospel reading is from 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.
A couple of things stand out in this passage from the Bible. One is "... and was obedient to them..." Now what this means to me is that, even though He was God come down in the flesh, He recognized the Commandment to "Honor you Father and Mother." They were the parents, and as such, were responsible for bringing him up as a good Jewish boy. Wow, what a humbleness for God!
The second thing that impressed me is the last line. "And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man." The KJV Bible states it as "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." He was well respected by the Jewish community as he grew up and his earthly parents did well.
It will be well for all of us if we too and emulate Jesus. We are called to be children of God, dwelling in God's house, listening to God's word and growing in understanding, wisdom and love. I hope I am always found to be doing so.
