NOTE: Throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons, we have been posting reflections on the readings for Holy Days and Sundays. The reflection are available on our Advent and Christmas 2024 webpage.
The reflection below was originally written by Dr. Arturo Chavez in 2006 for our Advent reflection booklet, Awakening the Prophet Within: Advent Reflections 2006.
by Dr. Arturo Chavez
Originally published in 2006
Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 | Colossians 3:12-21 | Luke 2:41-52
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” (Luke 2:48)
The joys and pains of family life shape and mold us into the unique people we become. Today’s feast reminds us that Jesus, the second person of the Holy Trinity, chose to become a holy trinity with Mary and Joseph. The mystery of the Holy Trinity reveals the very essence of God to be love, and love always implies relationship. In turn, the holy family reveals our true nature as human beings – to love and be loved.
In our families, we often hurt each other inadvertently. For example, in today’s Gospel, the child Jesus was so zealous for “his Parent’s house” that he must have completely lost any sense of time or responsibility to his parents who spent days looking for him. Tired, frustrated, and probably angry, they say, “Why have you done this to us?”
Often however, these words are spoken or screamed because the hurt and pain we cause each other and family life is intentional or part of a familiar, dysfunctional cycle – you hurt me so I’ll hurt you. Paul’s words are especially meant for families. Forgiveness is the key to healthy family relationships because it makes love real in our lives. As Jesus would one day teach, forgive your brother or sister even if you have to do it 70 times seven times.
Paul gives us some helpful advice on this matter by saying, dedicate yourselves to thankfulness. Being grateful for the people in our lives – especially our families – helps us to bear with and forgive them when they do things – intentionally or not – that hurt us.
The pain we experience in our family, however, is not always caused by its members. So many forces in society affect and tend to weaken or destroy families. The Iraq war has separated families in so many ways through distance, death, and difference of opinion. Many governmental systems fail to deal with families as a whole and implement policies that divide and separate families even when they attempt to provide assistance. For example, many families find it impossible to receive help when the father of the family lives in the home. Systemic dysfunction requires much more than forgiveness; it calls for systemic change.
FOR REFLECTION:
- How can I be an agent of systemic change to heal, strengthen, and protect family life?
- How am I being called to love and forgive in my family?
>> For more resources and reflections from throughout the Advent and Christmas season, click here.
I empathize with the human parents of the young Jesus, who “precociously” impressed the temple leaders while neglecting to tell May And Joseph where he was. I imagine they would have spoken tenderly to their son while reminding him of the duty he owed them. A few years later at the wedding in Cana, Jesus told Mary his “time” had not yet come for a miracle, but
she deftly implied to him that her impulse was fitting, as she told the servants to do for her son what he required. A gentle, subtle rebuke to a gifted young man in need of a social grace.
Forgiveness is a Christian virtue but not an appropriate immediate response for survivors of familial abuse
Thank you for this reflection! Two of the strongest actions that can be taken are forgiveness and gratefulness. From the depths of hurt and pain, a person can quickly, or with patience, begin a turnaround in the spiritual and/or practical realms. Peace and all good,
Terence Lover