As we look at this Gospel, we see that Luke stresses that Mary and Joseph were observant Jews who customarily went to Jerusalem for the Passover. And as Jesus approached maturity, He also fulfilled the precepts of the Law by going to Jerusalem for the great feast. Furthermore, He did not merely attend the observance; He delighted in the opportunity to discuss the Law with the great teachers.
Of course, in the confusion of the festival, we know that Jesus was left behind, that His parents eventually noticed His absence from their Galilean group, and that they went back to find Him in the Temple. Obviously, they were worried while the young Jesus was content to be about His heavenly Father's business.
In most families, this might have been a tense reunion. However, the Gospel tone is filled with a gracious and loving spirit from the parents and the child.
So it seems that among other things, this simple account teaches us about family ideals. Respect for God's commandments should be the overriding concern for sound family life. And if that piety is sincerely followed, then the glitches that are bound to arise in even the best family can be handled with love and grace. Even as Mary and Joseph took their responsibilities seriously, they recognized that their special son was going to develop spiritual independence. Even as the adolescent Jesus pursued His heavenly Father's business, He respected His earthly parents' authority. May we have the grace to follow the Holy Family's pattern in our troubled society.
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