Jeremiah 31:7-14 Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a Luke 2:41-52 Psalm 84 or 84:1-8

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

This passage from Luke’s Gospel brings us the only glimpse of Jesus’ early life.  Jesus’ experiences during the thirty years that transpire between the birth and the beginning of his ministry at his baptism by John in the Jordan are, otherwise, a mystery.

Thus, we can only imagine Jesus’ youth, a young child playing street games with the neighboring children in Nazareth; his teenage years, taking on more adult responsibilities as he learned the craft of carpentry from his devoted earthly father; his early adult years, surely by then there were definite signs of his Messianic calling.  Only this account from the latter part of Luke 2, addresses any portion of this 30-year hiatus of Jesus’ life story between birth and ministry that began at age 30.

In this account, the twelve-year-old Jesus has journeyed with his parents from Nazareth in Galilee to Jerusalem along with other families for the yearly Feast of the Passover, one of the three principal feasts for which traditional Jewish families aspired to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  In mass, on their return trip, it was easy to assume that, like most willful 12-year-olds, Mary and Joseph’s preteen would prefer to travel in the company of anyone other than his parents.  But, after a day or so had passed without finding Jesus among the group, Mary and Joseph determined it necessary to return to Jerusalem to search for their son.

Significantly, upon arrival in Jerusalem, three days passed before Mary found Jesus among the teachers in the temple.  Luke expresses the amazement of the temple teachers toward Jesus’ outstanding capacity to understand the in-depth discussion of the tenets of the Jewish faith that would have been the subject matter of their teaching in the temple.  Luke tells us, too, that Mary and Joseph were astonished at the sight of Jesus so deeply and competently engaged in this exchange with the most learned teachers of the Jewish faith.

Yet, Luke tells us that upon at last encountering her son, Mary’s emotions boil over a bit as would any mother so confused and worried for her son’s wellbeing.  Mary expresses a mixture of relief and exasperation and anger to which Jesus’ response is calm and challenging.  “Hey Mom, I’m twelve now; I’m now of age to be responsible to my religious heritage and the vows I take.  Remember the words of the shepherds who brought the astonishing message of the angels to Bethlehem?  Remember the Magi who travelled from the East alerted of my birth by the phenomenal star?  Remember the prophecy of Simeon when I was presented in the temple 40 days after my birth?  Do you not yet understand that it is necessary for me to be about my father’s affairs?

Luke tells us that once reunited, Jesus returned with his parents to Nazareth where it seems the life of this growing young man, reared in a traditional Jewish home was for all outward appearances quite ordinary.  Yet, as Jesus grew, he increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Even after all these signs, Mary and Joseph were astonished at this child’s confirmation that it was necessary that he be in his Father’s house fulfilling his Father’s calling.  Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph did not yet understand, and that Mary “treasured all these things in her heart” as she had treasured the words of the shepherds at the time of Jesus’ birth.

We, too, are astonished at the magnificence of God’s plan.  We, too, are astonished at the magnitude of God’s grace and mercy.  We, too, are astonished at God’s love, so powerful and unconditional that he willingly came to earth in the human person of Jesus – this twelve-year-old of our Gospel account, to redeem our sinfulness and save us from evil and death.  Even Mary found it beyond her understanding.  We, too, find it beyond our understanding.

The twelve days of Christmas are passing once again.  Now, we anticipate the Feast of the Epiphany, which will follow the 12^th night of our season of Christmas.  Each year is a fresh Epiphany.  Each year during these days of Christmas we strive to grow our understanding of the Incarnation more deeply, treasuring the message of the Word made flesh as did Jesus’ mother Mary.  Each year, to our great astonishment, time after time, Jesus is confirmed as the Messiah and our astonishment at this epiphany grows even more.

In closing let us hear again Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians and for us: 

 “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe.

Amen

The Rev. Anne Dale

January 3, 2021

The Second Sunday of Christmas

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