Feast of the
Holy Family, Jan. 13, 2013
Epistle Colossians 3: 12-17 Gospel Luke 2: 42-52
“They found Him in the temple
sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions.” The
temple is the house of God. Since the Ascension of our Lord into heaven and
since the first Pentecost Sunday the House of God has been the Catholic Church.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is here in the Tabernacle, Body and Blood, Soul
and Divinity, in a way God was never present in the synagogues of old until
Jesus Himself walked in. If you seek Jesus, you will find Him here in the tabernacle.
“And
all that heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His answers.” He was in the temple built by Solomon. When
he says, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” With
this statement He is claiming the
synagogue and the Law and the Prophets not only for His Father, but also
for Himself because He revealed to us that
He is the Son of the Father. “I and the Father are one.” (John 10: 30)
The
Curé of Ars said that Jesus was “full of tenderest love for the Temple of
Jerusalem.” With holy anger He drove out those who bought and sold there, and
He wept over the Temple, and all of the City of Jerusalem because he knew their
destruction was coming soon. We also should be involved with our “Father’s
business,” our Father in heaven that is, and our hearts should also be filled
with a tender love for Christ’s Church. Our schedules make it difficult for
many to come to Church other than on Sundays to pray, to seek advice or
consolation, or to seek grace from the Sacrament of Penance (Confession).
Even
if we can’t get to Church during the week, we can make our home like a Church,
like the Temple of God. We can do it with holy pictures and statues. From these
visible objects our minds go up to the invisible, to God. From the earliest
days of the Church Christians have used pictures and statues to direct their
thoughts to God. The most prominent position might be given to a crucifix,
perhaps in the family room.
Family
members will know that when they look upon the crucifix as faithful Christians
it will teach them to pray to God and to have confidence in Him during
difficult times. It teaches them to care not only for the physical needs of their
familes, but also for the spiritual needs. A family that understands this
language of the cross, will live their lives as faithful and obedient
Christians, and they will have converted their home into a Church. That family
is blessed by God.
On
this Feast of the Holy Family we see them separated. Jesus is now 12 years old.
It was the custom among the Jews of that time for men and women to travel in
separate groups and it’s believed that Jesus spent some of the trip with his
foster Father and some with his Mother. We can well imagine that the presence
of Jesus among each group was greatly desired. Being the Son of God as well as
the son of Mary, who would not want him as a companion. It is understandable
then that each group, the men and the women, thought Jesus was with the other
as they headed for home.
After
a day of travel, Joseph and Mary discovered He was not anywhere in their
caravan. They searched among the family
groups that travelled with them. Not finding Him, they went back to Jerusalem, and
after three days found him in the Temple listening to the doctors of the Law
and asking them questions. And then Jesus began to make known the mysteries of
Revelation, the mysteries of God. We know this because Luke tells us: “All that
heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers.” Mary and Joseph were
sorrowing because this Boy was the Son of God and the delights of His Presence
were withdrawn from them. “So sweet is the Lord to those who taste Him, so
beautiful to those who see Him, so gentle to those who embrace Him, that even
His brief absence is a source of deepest pain.” (Venerable St. Ælred, Abbot of Rievaulx)
Is
this not the reason we are plunged into despair when we sin? Because God’s
presence has been withdrawn from us? But since God is always available to those
who seek Him, it is more accurate to say that when we sin it is we who withdraw
our presence from God. When we realize He is no longer with us, we despair.
Jesus
reminded His earthly parents that day in the Temple that He must be about His
Father’s business. But to give us an example of humility and obedience, he
submits to His elders. Luke tells us: “He went down with them, and was subject
to them.” And there He “advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and
men.” This was for our sake, that we may be reborn and grow up in the spiritual
ages to advance in wisdom and grace in our lives. His bodily growth - is our
spiritual growth. His birth - is the beginning of our conversion. His
persecution - is to us a sign of the temptations we suffer from the devil. His
growing up in Nazareth - expresses our advancement to perfection.
I
pray that my comments today will help you better describe who you are to other
people, but at the same time may they leave your soul undisturbed in perfect
faith. +++
(Thanks to St.
John Vianney & Venerable St. Ælred for today’s sermon.)
We
Celebrate the Traditional Tridentine Latin Mass
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