Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

The first Sunday after the Nativity of the Lord is always celebrated as the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  And like most feast days, our readings do not change with the lectionary cycle.  Since the Christmas season is a celebration of the Nativity, it seems only appropriate that we focus on the family into which Jesus was born.  It should be no surprise then that our readings focus on parental and family themes:

The Word for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 or 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 or Psalm 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10
Colossians 3:12-21 or Colossians 3:12-17 or 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
Luke 2:41-52

Our readings for this Sunday offer quite a variety of options from which the presider may select, so those of us in the assembly will want to listen carefully.  Since most presiders select the first of the options, that is what I will unpack for us here:

Our first reading comes from the Wisdom of Ben Sira, which is known as the Book of Sirach.  This ancient catechism comes from a Jewish sage from Jerusalem at about 175 BCE (and later translated into Greek by his son around 117 BCE).  Our passage fittingly comes from the chapter reflecting on our responsibilities to our parents.  Our 4th Commandment reminds us to “honor your father and your mother.”  This Commandment, along with other requirements under the Mosaic Law code, provides for special consideration for one’s parents.  Family was the social and economic engine that drove the ancient world.  As it was the parent’s job to care for children, it was understood that come the time, it was the children’s job to care for their parents.  This responsibility isn’t lost on Ben Sira’s catechism as he reminds us, in the spirit of the Commandments and the Mosaic Law, of the special treatment and honor owed to one’s parents.  Our Psalm reflects the importance of this teaching as we sing, “Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.”  In other words, those who follow this important teaching will find favor with God.

Our second reading is from Paul’s letter to the Colossians.  This week’s passage has Paul describing how we need to treat one another.  In this case, he doesn’t specifically state how children or parents should act toward one another, but how everyone, “God’s chosen ones,” are expected to treat each other, using Christ as the example.  If you read the long form of this reading, we come across the passage that reads, “Wives, be subordinate to your husbands.”  The short form excludes this part and is most likely the form you will hear at most Masses.  The controversy of this language is not without consideration, but it can also derail us from the spirit of the message that is important to this celebration – that we owe it to one another to treat each other as Christ would treat us.

Our Gospel, in a story not only unique to Luke, but the only story we have that gives us a look at family life during Jesus’ youth.  As was customary for devout Jews, Mary and Joseph had traveled to Jerusalem (some 90 miles south of Nazareth) for the annual Passover festival.  It makes sense that they would travel in a caravan for such a long trip given that it was a much safer way to travel such a long distance on foot.  After traveling for a full day back to Nazareth, Mary and Joseph realize that Jesus is not with them, each assuming that he was among other family and friends in the caravan.  Upon learning he was not with them, Mary and Joseph return to Jerusalem, finding him three days later in the Temple with the teachers.  At age 12, Jesus believed he was ready to begin his Father’s work, but his parents, not knowing exactly what he was talking about, insisted that he journey back to Nazareth with them.  Jesus showed obedience to his parents, and the story tells us that Jesus continued to grow in wisdom and favor.

Final Thoughts:
When a child takes their first steps, it certainly is a milestone!  On one level, it brings pride and happiness to parents because their children are growing and developing.  On another level, however, it means they can no longer be easily contained, which can bring a sense of fear at every turn.  The only thing that eases that fear, little by little every year, is their continued cognitive growth.  By the time Jesus was 12 years old, nearly a man in those days, it’s easy to see why Mary and Joseph didn’t need to keep such a sharp eye on Jesus when they traveled in a caravan.  But no matter how old your child is, nothing is worse than that feeling of fear and dread a parent gets when they realize their child is missing.  After three days of searching, they find the young Jesus in the Temple talking with the teachers, oblivious to whatever concern his parents had.  But seeing that this caused them great anxiety, Jesus was obedient to them and returned to Nazareth.

While this story isn’t vitally important to the story of the Gospels, there’s a lot to be seen and drawn in this story.  It reminds us that Jesus was a child and fell into the kind of trouble a lot of children fall into.  It shows us that Jesus was mindful of his calling, even though he clearly wasn’t ready to start his mission.  It shows us that Jesus was obedient to his parents – something we all should consider.  And it shows us how this was just one more memory for Mary, his mother, to hold in her heart.  So no matter what lessons or insights you can pull from this story, it remains unique and gives us the only window into Jesus’ life before undertaking his mission, and for that alone, we are grateful!