The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Jesus is found discussing Scripture in the temple at age 12, revealing His Divinity and faithfulness. His extraordinary wisdom, faith, and obedience is demonstrated, marking a pivotal moment in His life and illustrating His preparation for His earthly ministry.
Gospel according to Luke 2:41-52
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. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.
Reflections
Today’s passage offers a unique glimpse into the life of the Holy Family, and foreshadows Jesus’ ministry. The passage begins in Jerusalem, a city that holds immense importance throughout the Gospel. This city is where Jesus will ultimately die and rise again, and it is from here that the Apostles will be sent on their mission to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth. The Holy Family makes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover, a celebration which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The feast sets the stage for Jesus’ future sacrifice for the redemption of humanity.
The teachers in the temple were struck by Jesus’ remarkable understanding of the Scriptures. By the age of twelve, Jesus already demonstrates a deep grasp on the Word of God. This is a demonstration of Jesus’ divine nature, and a reminder that children are capable of a surprising amount of insight. The number twelve is also significant: It can allude to Jesus’ embodiment of the Twelve Tribes of Israel The number twelve symbolizes totality, wholeness and the completion of God’s purpose. It precedes the age of transitioning into adulthood for young Jewsih boys at age thirteen.
This passage also gives a hint of God’s plan for redemption. Jesus responds to his parents: “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49) His response suggests that he is already being called to take up his ministry, which will eventually lead him to leave his family life behind and to go out into the world. Mary and Joseph do not yet understand what he means. Eventually, the sacrificial nature of their son’s mission will be revealed to them. We are invited to listen to God in a way similar to small children, and to trust in His plan, even if we do not understand it yet.
Notably, the number three appears in this passage, as Jesus is missing for three days before being found in the temple. This numerical motif appears often throughout the Old Testament, including the narrative of creation in Genesis 1, the story of Jonah and the Whale (Jonah 1:17), and in Hosea’s prophecy for the restoration of Israel (Hosea 6:1-2). Furthermore, the number three points to Jesus’ upcoming Passion, where he will die and rise again on the third day, redeeming humanity from sin.
Pope Francis offered support to families around the world during his homily in 2017, for the Feast of the Holy Family. “Children’s growth is a great joy for the family, we all know it. They are destined to grow and become strong, to acquire knowledge and receive the grace of God, just as happened to Jesus.” The Holy Family’s experience is a model for the families of the world, which strive to nurture the growth and development of their children. As Pope Francis emphasizes, the mission of any family is to “create conditions favourable to the harmonious and full growth of its children, so they may live a good life, worthy of God and constructive for the world.”
On this feast of the Holy Family, we request the intercession of St. Anthony of Padua for our families:
O God, good and merciful Father, you who chose Anthony as a witness of the Gospel and messenger of peace in the midst of your people, hear the prayer we address to you through his intercession.
Sanctify every family, help them grow in faith; preserve them in unity, peace and serenity. Bless our children, protect our young people. Support those who are being tried by illness, suffering and loneliness.
Support us in life’s every day hardships, and giving us your love. Amen.