[Propertalk] Quotes - Luke 2:41-52, 2 Christmas, Jan. 3 - Part 4

[Joe Parrish]

Anxiety is not a fruitful mode in which to listen and ask. When anxiously asked about his whereabouts (the result of his listening and asking), Jesus talks about being at home or having come home to himself, to his particular experience.

But anxiety gets in the way and his parents (still dealing with both options) did not understand a home different than the one they had carried on and developed.

Since they couldn't join him in a new place he went on with them.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2006/12/first-sunday-after-christmas-c4.html

Wesley White, 2006
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"Children will relate to Jesus as a child who, like themselves, wants to
be listened to by adults," Hornik suggests. "So often, children have much to say to busy adults
who could learn much by taking time to sit down and listen; their honest and clear-thinking minds
may reveal profound insights."

http://www.baylor.edu/christianethics/Childrenstudyguide2.pdf

Robert B. Kruschwitz, 2003
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Recent theological debates in North America have been bitter and vengeful, in part because our theologies
are so debased and entangled with political and cultural agendas. Many participants have been uncharitable
and lacking in humility; they have not listened for the truth in their opponents' views. James
Boyce's statement encourages humility. "Wouldn't it be refreshing to be in a study group where members
humbly shared their comprehension, knew they could not be too dogmatic about a conclusion, and
eagerly awaited your insights?" Lockhart asks. "

http://www.baylor.edu/christianethics/CatechismStudyGuide5.pdf

Robert B. Kruschwitz, 2003
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Very often we do not have listening in a family because there is fear. There may be fear of appearing weak, of losing face or authority, or of being refused or punished. This fear leads one to want to control by threat or violence so that the other person then becomes afraid. If, on the other hand, there is honest listening there will be a realization that there is a fearful human being at the other side. 

http://www.bible.claret.org/liturgy/daily/sundays_pierse/cycleC/C_HolyFamily.htm

Gerry Pierse
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...this simple human story should remind us to be forgiving of our daily blunders. We do well to remember that in a fallen world the options we face will often conflict and our chosen path will end up less than perfect, even compromised. Unlike Jesus, perfection is beyond us. Thankfully salvation rests on God's grace, not on our capacity to rightly handle life's myriad choices. 

http://www.lectionarystudies.com/studyg/christmas1cg.html

Bryan Findlayson
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Jesus is here portrayed as a child becoming a man, who is confronted with competing loyalties. As he is maturing, a fact with which Luke clearly brackets this story (vv. 40, 52), Jesus is coming to an awareness of his role in the world. He is now himself becoming aware of what others before had proclaimed about him. As he is becoming a "son of the law," he is beginning to embrace the responsibility of what that entails as the Son of God. The future that was promised to Mary for her baby is now beginning to unfold in this twelve-year-old. To fulfill that role, to carry out his mission as the "redemption of Jerusalem" (2:38), as the "light of revelation to the Gentiles" (2:32), and as the "Savior who is the Messiah" (2:11), to truly be the Son of his Father, he is beginning to understand that as important as familial obligations might be, there is a higher calling that he must serve.

http://www.cresourcei.org/lectionary/YearC/Cchristmas1nt.html

Dennis Bratcher
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The child who is raised in the arms of a compassionate church with caring adults and a healthy Sunday School/Youth Outreach is far less likely to slip into drugs or anti-social behavior.  In fact, a study by Case Western University under the direction of John DiAiellio, found that the three primary actions a father could take to keep his children off drugs were:
1.        Eat dinner with his family;

2.        Do homework with his children; and

3.        Take his children to church.
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My question is will I ever be as mature as this 12-year-old boy?  Last Saturday I gave a eulogy for a woman whose parent's wouldn't take her to church on Sundays.  At the age of eight, she began to bundle herself up and walk to church alone.  She finally "won permission" to take her younger siblings with her.  Every Sunday morning, she would take on the role of parent, dressing all the kids up and marching them to church for worship.  Her younger brother went on to become a missionary, he would lead others souls to Christ much the same as his sister led him.  She preceded him into God's arms, yet in my mind I've no doubt he was the one who walked beside her on her last journey before the King.

http://onefamilyoutreach.com/bible/Luke/lk_02_41-52.html

Jerry Goebel: 2005 © http://onefamilyoutreach.com
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We too must work out who we are, not by birth, but by God's generous grace. The most important discovery we can make is to find that our identity is bound up with the one whom Jesus called "Father." Even more important -- when our children demonstrate that sense of holiness and awe which speaks of God, the best gift we can give them is to "lose" them to its embrace. They are, after all, only loaned to us.

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2041

Peter Storey, 2000 
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