At Mass today, we recognized the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Alicia, Lorenzo, Lily and I went to Mass together. As I was listening to the Liturgy of the Word and the homily, I was also watching Lily sleeping in her infant seat and thinking, “This is probably the same feeling of love that Mary and Joseph had for the baby born in the stable.”
As I meditated further on this today, it hit me. As much as I love Lily and my own children, Mary and Joseph’s love for Jesus was so much more. After all, they had it on good authority (the Angel Gabriel) that their Son was the Son of God.
Further, Mary’s love must have been bittersweet. On one hand, she knew that her Son was destined to bring salvation to the world. On the other hand, she also knew the scriptures and that Jesus was to be killed to bring that salvation. No parent wants to lose a child. So when Simeon told her that her heart would be pierced with sorrow, I think that she was not surprised, but dismayed nonetheless.
As we all know, however, it all worked out for the best. (What an understatement that is!)
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