＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

2 Chronicles 24:17-25

After the death of Jehoiada,

the officials of Judah came to pay court to the king, and the king now turned to them for advice. The Judaeans abandoned the house of Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped the Asherah poles and idols.

Because of this sinful activity, God was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. He sent them prophets to bring them back to Yahweh, but when the prophets spoke, they would not listen.

The spirit of God took control of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said, “God says this: Why are you disobeying the commandments of Yahweh? You cannot prosper.

You have abandoned Yahweh and he will abandon you.” They then plotted against him and, by order of the king, stoned him in the court of Yahweh’s house.

King Joash forgot the kindness of Jehoiada, the father of Zechariah, and killed Jehoiada’s son who cried out as he died, “Let Yahweh see and do justice!” When a year had gone by, the Aramaean army made war on Joash.

They reached Judah and Jerusalem, and killed all the officials among the people, sending back to the king of Damascus all that they had plundered from them. Though the Aramaean army was small, Yahweh delivered into its power an army of great size for they had abandoned him, the God of their ancestors.

The Aramaeans wounded Joash and when they withdrew they left him a very sick man; and his officers, plotting against him to avenge the death of the son of Jehoiada the priest, murdered him in his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, though not in the tombs of the king.

 

Ps 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34

Forever I will maintain my love for my servant.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 2:41-51

Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, as was customary. And when Jesus was twelve years old, he went up with them according to the custom for this feast. After the festival was over, they re­turned, but the boy Jesus remained in Je­rusalem and his parents did not know it.

They thought he was in the company and after walking the whole day they looked for him among their relatives and friends. As they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem searching for him, and on the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. And all the people were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

His parents were very surprised when they saw him and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I were very worried while searching for you.” Then he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Do you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand this answer.

 Jesus went down with them, returning to Nazareth, and he continued to be subject to them. As for his mother, she kept all these things in her heart.

 

 

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

Following the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, the church celebrates the immaculate Heart of Mary, with the gospel reading recounting Jesus being left behind by his parents in the temple.

Reflect:

The gospel ends with a very significant line saying that Mary “Kept all these things in her heart.” If the celebration of the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus asks us to reflect on the kind of heart that our Savior has – a loving, kind, tender and merciful heart – today’s celebration shows us the kind of heart that “gave birth”, to this Savior, that gave him flesh and blood and allowed him to come to this world to make known the Father’s heart. Mary’s heart was one that was open, willing, ready, receptive, treasuring the Son who was to save us all. It is the same kind of heart that a true follower of Christ must seek to have.

Pray:

Lord, like your mother, help me to hold you as a treasure in my heart, so that I may share this gift with all that I meet and be an instrument of your continued work and incarnation in the world.

Act:

Ask the Blessed Mother to help you grow a heart just like hers, open and ready to accept the will of God.