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Greetings, SBT Readers:
With the Feast of the Holy Family coinciding with New Year's Eve, I again offer two reflections this week, hoping they will spark reflections of your own. May 2023 end gently, and may the New Year usher in a new era of peace and promise for our troubled world.
Blessings for 2024!
Elizabeth
SUNDAY REFLECTION
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When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
Lk 2:22-40
We know surprisingly little about Jesus' childhood, and attempts to fill the gap in our knowledge base are more whimsical than factual. Take, for example, the writings of Thomas the Israelite, which date back to the first half of the second century and focus on Jesus' "magnificent childhood activities." In one narrative, the five-year-old Child Jesus fashions twelve sparrows from soft mud; then, when scolded for profaning the Sabbath, he simply claps his hands and the sparrows fly away, chirping. Other stories are less charming. The precocious Holy Child withers a playmate who annoys him, slays a child who runs into him, blinds the adults who complain to Joseph about his antics, and humiliates Zachaeus the teacher; happily, the Child also raises the dead, heals the injured, and restores those he has punished to fullness of life. Zachaeus' words echo the thoughts of the other villagers: "And so I ask you, brother Joseph, take him back home. I do not know what kind of great thing he is-- whether a divine being or an angel; I do not even know what to say."
While Luke’s Gospel includes one narrative that appears in Thomas the Israelite’s work –namely, the story of the boy Jesus in the Temple—the evangelist is far more succinct than Thomas when it comes to describing Jesus’ childhood: “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him” (Lk 2:40). This single sentence suggests that despite threats and challenges, Jesus’ parents were able to provide all that he needed to grow in grace. The family was “holy” not because life was easy but because both Mary and Joseph were attuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit whether it manifested in dreams, angelic visitations, or prophecies. They listened and they obeyed, placing the well-being of their Child before self-interest, comfort, or safety. At the same time, they followed the Law, observing all the rituals and traditions that provided structure and meaning and ensured that God was the center of family life.
As we observe the Feast of the Holy Family, we might ask, “What are the ingredients for raising a decent human being -- a strong child, filled with wisdom, and close to God's heart?” Our texts provide some clues. Scanning each of the readings, we find a formidable list of essential qualities: honor, authority, respect, consideration, obedience, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love, and peace; blessings come when we walk with God in gratitude, giving praise, avoiding bitterness, encouraging our children,
accepting the Word of Christ and doing all things in His Name.
Sadly, when we look at families today, we tend to find a deficit of these qualities. In many cases, secularism has replaced religion while, too often, materialism drives goals and values. Societal pressures of all kinds make it difficult for parents to be present to their children or even to listen to them. Instead, it is easier to indulge their "wants," ignore their "needs," and lose track of where they are and what they are up to. For its part, Gen Z is struggling to believe in the future or to find the intrinsic motivation to work, study, or contribute to society. This generation --like Gen Alpha after them-- has been born into a globally connected digital world that seldom unplugs to feed the soul.
Families of every description are the foundation of society and need the support of faith communities. Whether we are looking at traditional families or non-traditional families, we are called to reach out to provide resources, support, and encouragement, to welcome the alienated, and to be the Light that shines in darkness. Only then will our youth grow in strength and wisdom and seek God's companionship...
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NEW YEAR'S REFLECTION
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The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this,
they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Lk 2:16-21
Although tradition places Jesus’ birth on December 25th and while the lyrics to Christmas carols evoke cold wintery landscapes, it is more likely that he was born in the spring – the time of year when shepherds would have been in the fields, waiting for ewes to go into labor. Regardless of the time of year, however, the fact that Luke tells us that shepherds were the first to receive the Good News is significant: in the first place, shepherds tended to be almost destitute and represented the poorest of the poor; secondly, as Carroll Stuhlmueller points out, the patriarchs were known as “shepherds,” as was King David, so “to shepherd” meant to rule (JBC, 44:41). Other sources suggest that the shepherds around Bethlehem would most likely have been “Levitical shepherds” charged with the task of raising unblemished lambs for temple sacrifice. Lambs were apparently washed and swaddled at birth, and then placed in a manger to keep them calm and prevent injury; they would then be sacrificed as yearlings the following Passover. As you can see, there are many layers of symbolism to unravel: Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God, was born in Bethlehem (The House of Bread) to be the Bread of the World, the Paschal Sacrifice, the way of the new Exodus from the place of servitude to the Promised Land of God’s Presence.
This New Year, let us keep watch for signs of new life—for new birthings and new beginnings, all of which need to be cherished and protected. Like Luke’s shepherds, may we hear angelic strains of joy and allow that joy to permeate our hearts, our souls, our relationships, our work. May we continue to be filled with amazement at God’s infinite kindness and mercy, and, no matter what 2024 brings our way, may we know the depth and breadth of Christ’s love… AMEN!
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