Christmas
December 27, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Luke 2:41-52

When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.  

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor. –Luke 2:45-51

Timing is everything. Historians looking back on the time of Jesus backtrack the perfect timing of his arrival. It was the right place, right time for a confrontation of the peace of Rome, a phenomenon of power and violence, with the Peace of God, the outcome of love. Few of those who were experiencing such a revolution could probably not even perceive such a shift in the societal plates of the world as possible. Some, indeed, recognized it as the better way but merely  a pipedream. Others found it threatening to their chosen way of life. The interesting thing is that some two thousand years later we are still having these same reactions. If we can just win one more war than we can have peace.

In our story today, Jesus recognized the need to bide his time. While a few teachers might be impressed with a well-studied 12 year-old the masses would not. The scripture says Mary remembered this event. Even though I change gospels, I could not help but remember that it was his mother at the wedding in Cana (John 2) who pushes Jesus out into ministry when he said his time had not yet come.

What is God’s call to his children today? Are we hearing it? Are we living it? Are we enabling it in others? Emmanuel is with us. Now is our time.

Prayer:
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy*. Amen.

*First verse of prayer by st. francis of assisi see at http://www.worldprayers.org/archive/prayers/invocations/lord_make_me_an_instrument.html

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.