The story we celebrate today, the holiness of the Holy Family, can be puzzling at first glance. On the surface, it seems to involve neglectful parents and a rebellious, almost sassy, pre-teenager. But there’s more going on beneath the surface.
Travelers on pilgrimages back then often traveled in separate groups—men and women walked separately. Since Jesus wasn’t a teenager, Joseph likely assumed he was with the other children walking with the women, while Mary may have thought Jesus was trying to be more mature and walk with the men.
However, the real point of the story occurs after the parents find him. This is first time we hear him speak in the Gospel of Luke. He tells them, “I must be in my Father’s house.” Even though his actions must have deeply worried Mary and Joseph, the important lesson comes next—Jesus, despite his earlier behavior, was obedient to them from then on. This shows us that we all need guidance and support to grow and develop.
For the kids and teenagers reading this, it’s your parents who are guiding you. And parents are the primary teachers of their children’s faith. That’s why we have classes for parents and all adults every Wednesday . . . to instruct them. And remember kids, your parents don’t wake up everyday planning to make your life difficult. They’re doing their best. Will they make mistakes? Of course. We all do. But they have your best interests at heart.
For the adults, don’t think you have to "do adulting" alone. You need guidance and support too. We all do. We need mentors and role models. That best mentor we have is the adult Jesus.
Here’s an image, think of Jesus as your personal trainer or life coach. He’s not here to shout at you or punish you. He’s here to help you become better. He’s cheering you on—saying, “Come on, you can do it!” He’s pointing out areas for improvement—“Oops, watch that. That could harm you.”
In the second reading, the writer encourages the Colossians to be better people. He calls on them (and us) to put on virtues that help us imitate Jesus. As you look ahead to New Years, perhaps this year you can try to focus one of these virtues for the new year:
- Compassion – Try to understand what others are going through. Daniel Goleman said, “True compassion means not only feeling another’s pain, but also being moved to help relieve it.”
- Kindness – Show kindness to those around you, even those who might not seem to deserve it. As Wendy Mass said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”
- Humility – Recognize that things don’t always have to go your way. “Humility is not about thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.”
- Patience – Let go of frustrations when things don’t happen as quickly as you'd like. As Eckhart Tolle said, “Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”
- Forgiveness – Perhaps this is the time to reach out to someone who has disappointed you. They might not deserve it, but take the first step toward reconciliation. As Paul Boese said, “Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”
- Put on Love – Act with more love, especially toward those closest to you. Sometimes we’re nicer to strangers than to our own family. Think about your week ahead—how could you change if you were more loving? Remember, “Putting on love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.”
- Peace – Allow the peace of Christ to control your heart. Seek peace in all situations, whether you’re driving, watching a game, or playing with your kids. Eckhart Tolle said, “You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.”
- And finally, give thanks for all the people and tools in your life that help you become better. "Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses."