Sunday December 29, 2024

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If we are sincere about following Christ, we are willing to do what is difficult.

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Good News Reflection for:

Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
December 29, 2024

Today’s Prayer:

Beloved Jesus: Give me the grace of being aware of the ways I stray from You and renewing a firm decision to resume the path which leads me to re-encounter You. Amen.

IMPROVE YOUR DAY!
Powerful Catholic prayers are available on our YouTube channel

Today’s Readings:

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 or
1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
Ps 128:1-5 or Ps 84:2-3,5-6,9-10
Colossians 3:12-21 or 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
Luke 2:41-52
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122924.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-december-29-2024

Trusting the truths we don’t understand

“Joy mixed with drama marks the fifth [joyful] mystery,” wrote Saint John Paul II in his encyclical on the Rosary, Rosarium Virginis Mariae (paragraph #20), as he reflected on today’s Gospel story about Mary and Joseph losing the boy Jesus and finding him in the Temple. “Here he appears in his divine wisdom as he listens and raises questions, already in effect one who ‘teaches’.”

This scripture, he pointed out, reveals that Jesus was already wholly dedicated to his Father’s affairs. That’s the first part of the mystery: How early did he feel inspired to serve as the Son of God?

The second part of the mystery, John Paul II explained, is “the radical nature of the Gospel, in which even the closest of human relationships are challenged by the absolute demands of the Kingdom.” Which relationships? Family relationships! In this scripture, Mary and Joseph faced the challenge that every parent experiences. They were “fearful and anxious,” because they did not understand what was happening to their child.

Today, we are like Mary and Joseph in their moment of failing to understand the words of Jesus. His teachings challenge us to accept a more difficult life, a life of doing good to our enemies, taking a stand against injustices, standing up for Christian values, getting persecuted for it, turning the cheek and going the extra mile, a life of courageously adhering to the ways of God.

Our preference, when it’s inconvenient or unpleasant to be so holy, is to rationalize and make excuses for any behavior that the world says is good and right but which contradicts the Church’s scripture-based teachings. However, if we are sincere about following Christ, we are willing to do what is difficult. And it’s usually in the doing that we begin to understand the benefits of becoming more like Christ.

Without this understanding, however, we have to trust that the words of Jesus are truth. Like Mary and Joseph, we need to ponder in our hearts what we do not understand and at the same time move forward in holy living. Then we discover the joy that comes from a life that’s lived wholly in Christ.

On this Feast of the Holy Family, let us pray that Mary and Joseph will help us hear Jesus whenever our troubles or temptations get so distracting that we lose sight of him. Let us learn to recognize that Jesus is always present with us in his Holy Spirit, helping us, guiding us, and mercifully loving us, especially in the challenges we face.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
What teaching of the Church have you rationalized away so that you don’t have to obey it? Or what teaching of Christ do you excuse yourself from? Assume that your disobedience is due to not understanding what is really being taught. What will you do to seek and gain a better understanding?

Questions for Faith Sharing:
How meaningful is the Holy Family to you? What is it about the relationships between Jesus, Mary and Joseph that appeals to you? What has this taught you about Christian living?

For more help on this topic, see our prayer: “Joyful Mysteries for Your Personal Needs” @ https://gnm.org/prayers/pray-the-rosary/joyful-mysteries-1/.

© by Terry A. Modica, Good News Ministries

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