First reading Isaiah 61:9-11
I exult for joy in the Lord
Their race will be famous throughout the nations,
their descendants throughout the peoples.
All who see them will admit
that they are a race whom the Lord has blessed.
‘I exult for joy in the Lord,
my soul rejoices in my God,
for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation,
he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity,
like a bridegroom wearing his wreath,
like a bride adorned in her jewels.
‘For as the earth makes fresh things grow,
as a garden makes seeds spring up,
so will the Lord make both integrity and praise
spring up in the sight of the nations.’
Responsorial Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1,4-8
My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.
My heart exults in the Lord.
I find my strength in my God;
my mouth laughs at my enemies
as I rejoice in your saving help.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the weak are clothed with strength.
Those with plenty must labour for bread,
but the hungry need work no more.
The childless wife has children now
but the fruitful wife bears no more.
It is the Lord who gives life and death,
he brings men to the grave and back;
it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches.
He brings men low and raises them on high.
He lifts up the lowly from the dust,
from the dungheap he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes
to give him a glorious throne.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
on them he has set the world.
Gospel Luke 2:41-51
Mary stored up all these things in her heart
Every year the parents of Jesus used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and it was only after a day’s journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.
Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, ‘My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.’
‘Why were you looking for me?’ he replied. ‘Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?’ But they did not understand what he meant.
He then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart.
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A heart full of God
As we celebrate the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we
centre our prayer on Mother Mary and the state of her heart. She was a
woman whose heart was centred on God and lived in constant trust in
Him, even though she did not fully know what the future ahead would
be. In today’s gospel, Mary was distressed because she and Joseph
could not find Jesus. He was finally found sitting among the teachers of
the law, listening to them and asking them questions. She asked Him,
“My child, why have you done this to us?”. Jesus answered her, “Why
were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s
house?”. Mary did not understand what He meant, but she knew that
day that she had to learn to let go and allow Jesus to do God’ will, not
centre our prayer on Mother Mary and the state of her heart. She was a
woman whose heart was centred on God and lived in constant trust in
Him, even though she did not fully know what the future ahead would
be. In today’s gospel, Mary was distressed because she and Joseph
could not find Jesus. He was finally found sitting among the teachers of
the law, listening to them and asking them questions. She asked Him,
“My child, why have you done this to us?”. Jesus answered her, “Why
were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s
house?”. Mary did not understand what He meant, but she knew that
day that she had to learn to let go and allow Jesus to do God’ will, not
her will. It was painful to let go of control as a parent, but she lived this
experience with God and trusted in Him.
experience with God and trusted in Him.
It is not easy to let go of those we love. We suffer the pain of loss when
a loved one leaves or takes a different path that we do not envision for
them, etc. Today, let us ask Mother Mary to help us live with God in our
personal struggles and pain. We do not know what the future holds for
our loved ones and us, but we know that God is close to us today.
a loved one leaves or takes a different path that we do not envision for
them, etc. Today, let us ask Mother Mary to help us live with God in our
personal struggles and pain. We do not know what the future holds for
our loved ones and us, but we know that God is close to us today.
Question for reflection:
How can I learn from Mother Mary to let go and let God?
How can I learn from Mother Mary to let go and let God?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
