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Keeping Watch: Day 29

SUNDAY, DEC 31

Luke 2: 39 – 40

When the days were completed for their purification 
according to the law of Moses, 
they took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord. 

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord, 
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; 
and the favor of God was upon him.

 

Grace: I ask for the grace to know Jesus in a deeper way that I may abundantly love and follow him.

This scripture points us toward the hidden years in the life of Jesus. We know very little about these years of ordinary family life. We too have our own hidden years; sometimes memories of these years push forward into our consciousness to bring us comfort. I remember, I remember…When my mother was dying of cancer, I was 1500 miles away and I was the only family member absent. The morning she passed, I awoke from a dream so visceral that I could not tell if it was a dream or a visitation. As I recall the experience my mother led me by the hand as I grew from childhood to young adulthood. No words were spoken, but I was accompanied and cherished throughout these unfolding images. These were memories of my hidden years.

As I look down from the cross I see my mother, and I recall many moments of family life. I remember, I remember…I recall my hands being guided by Joseph as I begin to use tools lying on the wooden bench. He teaches me not only the manual skills of working with wood, but also a way of imagining and visioning. Together, Joseph and I bring to life something which is practical, useful and beautiful. I recall the tenderness and beauty of my mother in conversation with neighbors or singing beneath a dark, silent sky. I remember the rituals of the temple and the elders watching over me. In these hidden years I saw the sickness and pain of many in the village. My eyes recorded both the poverty and the joy of the world. As I look out and see faces of anger and faces of love I hold memories of these years closely. I am thankful for this ordinary life and I wonder; do we remember how we are made holy by the ordinary moments of life?

 

For Reflection and Prayer:

Recall a time when the richness of everyday life brought you closer to Jesus.

If you feel so moved, dedicate one ordinary daily task today to Christ in gratitude for your life.

I end my prayer time by calling to mind all of my blessings from this past year; I thank Jesus for such abundant love. Happy New Year!

 


The Contributor:

Mary Wilder, MA Sp. is a retreat leader, teacher and spiritual director in San Antonio. She has been blessed to both receive and to guide others through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola in daily life. You may contact her at mawilder@earthlink.net

Learn more about  Magis Ignatian Spirituality Programs


Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

 

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