Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 2, 41- 51
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him,
they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
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.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“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?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
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 heart
1. Customs. Many families have customs related to their religious practices. It’s important to preserve the legacy that has been passed down by previous generations, your parents, uncles, aunts, uncles and grandparents… Family items such as medals of the Virgin Mary or the Sacred Heart of Jesus, holy cards of family saints, or traditions initiated by grandparents are important and significant. These small elements contribute to maintaining faith and family traditions. In my case, we have a very old image of Saint Anthony, which my great-grandparents brought from Sicily, and we still pray to him; we also have the tradition of celebrating the saint of each family member. Are you preserving these traditions in your family?
2. Find. Never think that you’ve found Jesus and that’s it. Always seek Jesus and try to nurture your relationship with Him, because neglect can distance you from Him.
3. Her heart. Mary kept everything in her heart. Mary’s Immaculate Heart reflects respect and love for her son. True love involves understanding and just like Mary, you must learn that in your love for someone often your purpose is to be a supportive spectator, just being there for your loved ones. You must learn to work on all the aspects of Mary’s heart: patience, resilience, and empathy so you can grow on having a mature heart. It’s your attitudes in life that describe your heart.
Remember that something good is on the way!
May God bless you and protect you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
