Sunday 29 December 2024

Today is Sunday the 29th of December, the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Josh Garrels sings. ‘What Child is This?’ What question might you like to ask the child Jesus today, as we prepare to hear a story from his childhood? What Child is this who laid to rest On Mary's lap is sleeping Whom angels greet with anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping? Why lay He in such mean estate Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christians fear for sinners here The silent word is pleading This, this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing Haste, haste to bring Him laud The Babe, the Son of Mary So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh Come peasant king to own Him The King of kings salvation brings Let loving hearts enthrone Him Nails, spears shall pierce Him through The cross he bore for me, for you Hail, hail the Word made flesh The Babe, the Son of Mary The Babe, the Son of Mary Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 2:41-52 Now every year [Jesus’] parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching 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. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour. Even Mary and Joseph had trouble with their adolescent son! This kind of family conflict is familiar territory to many people. What we see is Jesus and his parents exploring the boundaries of freedom. This is how God invites us to grow in relationship with our Creator and with one another. How does that exploration feel for you? Jesus says he ‘must be in the Father’s house’. Elsewhere he promises that in the Father’s house there are many rooms. How at home do you feel in the Father’s house? How at home are others? As we hear the reading a second time, listen out for whatever touches your heart and your imagination. Where is God leading you through this reading? Is there someone in this story that you want to talk to? Mary, Joseph or Jesus himself? What do you want to say as you respond to the story of the finding of Jesus in the temple? Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.