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Feast of the Holy Family Luke 2:22-40 |
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| Background: As in the prior sections of the Infancy Narrative, here, too, we find Luke pointing to a parallelism between Jesus and John the Baptist, emphasizing how Jesus is greater then the Baptist. The narrative is somewhat confusing because Luke combines two ceremonies, the presentation of the first-born son and the ritual purification of the mother. The emphasis is on the presentation of Jesus in the temple, the temple being for Luke a sign of the link between Judaism and the Christian community. Anna and Simeon, waiting in the temple for the revelation of salvation recognize Jesus as the one they hope for. Simeon, by professing Jesus to be the "light to the Gentiles" while at the same time warning that the child will be opposed and Mary's heart will be pierced, foreshadows the trials of the Holy family and of those who seek to follow the gospel. |
read the padre |
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Story: Once upon a time two kids went over to church to pray before the new year started. They wanted to thank God for giving them such wonderful parents. I don't know where they got that crazy idea because they weren't particularly devout. But they wanted to do it. So they crept out of the house when the baby sitter was dozing in front of the television and went over to church. The doors were open because there was a kind of Holy Hour to welcome in the new year. So they went it and prayed. They liked the dark church so much that they stayed even after the holy hour was over. The priest locked the door eventually because he didn't see them. So they were locked in the church. The parents came home and woke up the baby sitter. Then they went up stairs and saw that the kids were gone. They screamed at the baby sitter who sobbed hysterically. Then she calmed down and said that they were talking about the holy hour at church. So the parents went over to church and couldn't get in. But they heard the kids knocking on the door. So they woke up the priest who opened the door for them. We were here praying for you they said, shivering with the cold (the priest didn't leave the heat on in the church all night). The parents calmed down and said, well, don't ever do it again. You can pray for us here at home. So they all wished one another a happy new year, even the poor baby sitter. |
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