Sunday, December 30, 2018

Holy Family


We have been working our way through the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary

-          Annunciation     (Immaculate Conception)
-          Visitation     (4th Sunday of Advent)
-          Birth of Jesus  (Christmas)
-          Presentation of Jesus  -  Jan 1
-          Today - Finding of Jesus in the Temple.

The Temple is long gone – Build by the son of King David – Solomon. It was a place of prayer and sacrifice. The Ark of the Covenant was kept in the Holy of Holies.
Destroyed by the Romans in Year 70
All that is left   so called Western Wall or Wailing Wall  built by King Herod.  Check it out 24 hour live web cam.

It continues to be a holy place:
Place of Prayer:  150 psalms each day.
Of Ceremonies:  bar & bat Mizpah
And Great discussions and teachings    can you picture Jesus being there?

Were his parents neglectful? How could he have been left behind?
Funny age – 12   turning boy to man
Up to 12 – raised by mother and women.
Around 12 – passed over to the men – which was a hard transition for many.

Men & women always traveled separately
So Mary thought – he’s with Joseph     Joseph thought – he’s with Mary
Go searching – found Him in the Temple.
“Did you not know I had to be in my father’s house?”
In other words – why didn’t you check here first?

1)      Raised him centered on God
Hopes for children – happy and healthy. Should also include: holy
They brought him to temple  -   you are our son, and you are also a child of God.
Raised him with religious traditions  -   they lived it out.

2)      A reminder that there is no guarantee things will work out the way we plan.
Do our best – and then hand it over to God.   Especially true when we have tried to pass on faith and they no longer practice – keep the faith! Live it by great example.

3)      Child was obedient to them. His parents tried to fulfill their responsibilities – They listened to Him, nurtured him, educated him, cared for him, tried to keep him safe. This is the true Mission of the family, and when this is done, the world is a better place! In turn, boys and girls should trust that their parents know what they are doing – have your best interests in mind -  would not hurt to say YES more often!

So today we celebrate the Holy Family. And we pray for all of our families:

O God, you have created us in love and saved us in mercy, and through the bond of marriage you have established the family and willed that it should become a sign of Christ’s love for his Church. 

Shower your blessings on these families gathered here in your name. Enable those who are joined by one love to support one another by their fervor of spirit and devotion to prayer. Make them responsive to the needs of others and witnesses to the faith in all they say or do.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.