Family Wisdom

A Reflection on the Gospel for December 26th, 2021:
The Feast of the Holy Family

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Luke
2.41-52

Every year the parents of Jesus 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 favour with God and human beings.
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As a mother of seven children, I recognize two key elements of this story. First, if you don’t keep your eyes on your kids, they will wander off. Second, even when they are little, they are filled with wisdom that can only come from God.
 

I remember times when our children, although little, understood with remarkable purity the deeper implications of the truth within the very basic instruction we’d given them. There was the time one of our kids, too young for school, asked us to explain why Jesus was on the cross, referencing our wall crucifix. A few siblings perked up for the answer. We gave them a very simple explanation and, after a few moments to absorb what they’d heard, they huddled together to discuss it amongst themselves. They decided the correct response to Christ’s sacrifice would be to kiss Jesus’ boo-boos better, just like Mommy and Daddy do for them. On another occasion one of our children, hearing that some people don’t have enough to eat, immediately asked that we go out and just buy them all food — the perfect trust that Mommy and Daddy can fix everything.
 

As we look to the Holy Family, it is good to remember that Jesus, even as He knew everything and could speak in perfect truth, was entrusted to Mary and Joseph. Sometimes things were complicated, but they worked hard to be faithful to their role. I’m sure they listened to Jesus as He explained God’s will, but He also learned about humanity through His experience as a part of His chosen family. In the same way, we can listen for the pure wisdom of our children as we teach them what they need to know to become mature in their faith and their behaviour (the tougher part of parenting).
 
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The children given to us through birth like Mary or adoption like Joseph (which takes many forms) are precious, and our responsibility is to both listen and teach. Together as a family in Christ, we can be drawn closer to the heart of the Father and be pushed outward into our mission.




Stephanie Potter
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