C SUNDAY HOMILY, LUKE 2:41-52, DECEMBER 29, 2024
1. STORY
A famous American
writer, Mark Twain, once said, “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so
ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. When I got to be 21, I was surprised how much
my father had learned in seven years. By
the time I reached 35, I had to admit that my Dad was one of the cleverest men
I had known.” His father did not change.
It was he who changed as he grew older
and wiser. It took him many years to see
how intelligent his father was.
2. GOSPEL, LUKE
2:41-52
A. GOD WAS NUMBER
ONE
God was number one in the Holy Family. “Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover.” It was a long and difficult trip through hilly country from their home in Nazareth to get to Jerusalem.
B. JESUS OBEYED
HIS PARENTS
Though he was
God, Jesus obeyed his parents. “He went
down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them.” Mary was a caring mother. “His mother kept all these things in her
heart.”
3. APPLICATION TO
LIFE
A. MAKE GOD
NUMBER ONE IN YOUR FAMILY
i) If at all
possible, put up a cross in your home and also hang a holy picture or two.
ii) Start your
day with a short prayer asking God to bless and protect you and your family
during the day. End your day thanking
God for caring for you and your family.
iii) Regularly attend Sunday Mass and receive Holy Communion.
B. WORK FOR
FAMILY UNITY
i) Respect every
member of your family. No one is perfect
but all deserve your love.
ii) Forgive those
who have offended you and ask for forgiveness if you have offended a family
member.
iii) Help out in
doing housework. Many hands make the
work light.
4. CONCLUSION
It took the
famous writer a very long time to realize how intelligent his father was and a
long time to appreciate him. The Holy
Family made God number one in their life. Jesus obeyed his parents, and Mary was a
caring wife and loving mother. We must
help our family to make God number one in our life. We must respect, love, and help each family
member. We thank Jesus for his
instruction and ask him to help us to be caring, loving, forgiving, and helpful
members of our family. We pray that our
family will follow the example of the Holy Family.
