Protecting Jesus And US

 

 

Luke 2: 41-51a

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.

42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.

43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.

44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.

45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.

46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.

48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things 

The finding of Jesus in the Temple is the last mention of Joseph in the New Testament.  We conjecture that Jesus learned carpentry from him, working with him until his death.  "Is not this the Carpenter's son?" (Mt 13:55)  The Gospel scenes of Joseph in Matthew reveal a humble, good, obedient, quiet man who stands as a pillar of strength in times of upheaval:  marrying a pregnant fiancee whose child was not his, traveling to Bethlehem for the census, escaping to Egypt to save the child, and returning to Nazareth to support the family as a carpenter.... Truly an extraordinary man, and fittingly the Guardian and Protector of the Church, which over the centuries to our present day has had a tumultuous history.  Happily, Pope Francis has proclaimed this a Year of  St. Joseph, to bring his virtues to the forefront and allow him to set the example of fidelity, faith, trust and compliance to God's will to us. His shoes are too big for us to fill, but at least we can walk in his footsteps with the assurance that he will be our protector as he was for his family.

Bro. Rene