December 30 - The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Year C

 

First Reading  1 Samuel 1:20-22,24-28
Hannah dedicates her son, Samuel, to the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 84:2-3,5-6,9-10
Those who dwell in the Lord's house are happy.

Second Reading  1 John 3:1-2,21-24
We are God's children now.

Gospel Reading
Luke 2:41-52

Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. This feast is part of the Christmas season, and we should place today's Gospel in the context of what Luke's Gospel tells us about the birth of Jesus. Luke has been answering the question “Who is Jesus?” through his stories of the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Today's Gospel reading continues this theme. It has no parallel in the other Gospels and is the conclusion of Luke's Infancy Narrative.

Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are presented in this Gospel as a faithful Jewish family. They are participating in the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, an event shared each year with family and friends. When Jesus is found, Luke describes him as seated in the Temple in the midst of the Jewish teachers. Although he is young, Jesus seems not to need teaching about his Jewish tradition. In his dialogue with these learned teachers, Jesus astounds them with his insight and understanding. Jesus is a child of Israel. His Father is God.