From today’s Scripture: “Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover.”—Lk 2:41

This was not like Catholics attending Midnight Mass every year. Their transportation was on foot, and Jerusalem was about 95 miles south of Nazareth. So they spent about three days walking each way, and the Passover Festival lasted seven days. Thus, they committed about two weeks every year to this one religious feast, and Scripture scholars think they probably attended the other two major Jewish feasts also. Religion was obviously more important to them than working and making money.

What a deep impression this must have made in the lives of the children as they went with their parents on these religious trips. Jesus was twelve when they went this year.

Let us pray: Jesus, your parents showed you how to live your faith by living it. May I depend less on telling others how to live like you and more on showing them how to live it.

Today’s author is Father Frank Ruff, former president of Glenmary, mission pastor, and Catholic representative to the Southern Baptist Convention.

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