Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to 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.

Immaculate Heart of Mary

1) Went to Jerusalem. Life is a journey, and along the way, we might fall, lose our way, or even get hurt. But still, we’re invited to step outside ourselves and keep moving forward. Sure, staying locked away might seem safer, but it can also leave us trapped in fear, anxiety, or discouragement. So today, give yourself permission to take a risk and truly live. Life always involves risk, and to take that risk is to trust—trust in yourself and, above all, trust in God.

2) They went up. We can never know with certainty when we have done enough, but Mary invites us to lift our eyes to heaven and avoid the trap of legalism, as though we could somehow repay our guilt by our own efforts. She leads us to the cross, where we encounter a God who loves us and who has given us His Mother so that we may learn to love Him more deeply. Every sin brought before the blood of Christ is forgiven. Mary invites us to look to both the cross and the resurrection, reminding us that no matter how hard we strive to prove ourselves worthy, it is ultimately God’s grace that leads us to heaven.

3) The Temple. We can’t just give up; we need to keep moving forward and seek God once again. We all make mistakes, but we are called to take responsibility, discipline our lives, and get back on track, even after messing up. Failure does not take away your dignity, but remaining trapped in regret can paralyze you with fear of what others may think. May Mary’s heart help us contemplate the heart of Jesus, and may we learn from her tenderness, patience and compassion, so that our own hearts may grow in maturity.

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.