RBWords

     The mom often follows the child.  The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary comes on the coattails of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!  Luke portrays Mary as a model disciple who ponders the word and life of her son.  This fundamental image is overlaid with the piety associated with the exalted status of Mary's perpetual virginity, and so this particular feast is a mixture of devotional elements.  The gospel passage, however, is the story of the confusion and relief in finding the missing Jesus in the temple.  Here we can see the more human heart of the mom who says quite naturally, "Son, why have you done this to us?"  And the Son says, rather exasperatingly, "Why were you looking for me?"

     While we're at it, I recommend reading the first scripture today in its full form in the Old Testament.  The lectionary cuts out a very important piece about Jacob's mom, Rebekah, who wants to make sure that her son gets ahead of his brother, Esau!  She comes up with the scheme about a favorite dish and an animal skin to make Jacob seem like Esau to his feeble and blind papa!  Oh, a mother's heart can scheme, too!  The contrast between Rebekah and Mary makes for an interesting (and probably unintentional) angle in reflecting on this feast.  In any case, with yesterday's Sacred Heart and today's Immaculate Heart, we have more than plumbed the depths of that imagery!  AMEN