Week 6 - Entering into the Kenosis of Jesus Day 5
"MORNING FACE TO FACE WITH GOD:
Begin with Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Prayer on Luke 2: 41-42; 48-49: The Boy Jesus in the Temple:
"Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom...After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers..."Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety." And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" [Please read Luke 2: 41-52 for a better appreciation of the passage].
Read the Reflection; then pray using Luke 2: 41-52; ask for an intimate knowledge of our Lord, who has become man for me, that I may love Him more and follow Him more closely (#104)
1. All who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers: When Jesus was twelve years old, the family had gone to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Passover. They did this every year. The child Jesus stayed behind, unknown to his parents who were on their journey home. While he was in the temple, "all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and his answers." During his public ministry, repeated mention is made of the fact that Jesus taught with authority unlike the teaching of the Scribes, causing astonishment and amazement.
2. "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety." And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" When his parents questioned Jesus upon finding him, they were astonished by his answer. This is one of several occasions when Jesus' divinity is hidden, and his answer seems perplexing to human logic. The darkness of this mystifying experience is ameliorated by the comment made in verse 51: "He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart." Mary's disposition was always to ponder God's ways rather than question them." Taken from Mold me as your Disciple by Michael Fonseca.
I sat this morning watching the scene unfold while also having other thoughts pop into my head trying to distract the task at hand. I asked for the help of the Holy Spirit to keep me focused. I witnessed Mary and Joesph searching for Jesus, and not finding Him right away, not knowing where He was. I watched Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit teach the teachers and help them understand truth so others could understand. I also watch Jesus submit Himself to his parents and be obedient to them. Mary stood out in this conversation as she helped Jesus become the man that He would be. Mary continues to play a pivotal rule today in the Church as she did back then.
What is God saying to you? The value of obedience to authority in your life is important. It shows your willingness to be humble and recognize those I have placed within your life to guide you. Jesus listened to His parents and My will for Him.
Dear Father, I see life today and the challenge we have to submit ourselves to authority. To submit ourselves to Your authority. The people that are in our lives are there for a purpose, they all are created in Your image and likeness. Help us discern Your will in these relationships, help us see beyond the challenges in some of the circumstances and teach us Lord to be obedient to Your voice. Jesus never denied a You and I pray I may never either. Prayers for a friend being challenged with life circumstances, may He witness to the love of God in his actions. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mary, Mother of Jesus, Pray for us.
St Joesph, Pray for us.
Viva Cristo Rey.
Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4b
No comments:
Post a Comment