Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“…and his mother kept all these things in her heart.” These are the last words of today’s gospel. It’s the end of the episode of Joseph and Mary losing Jesus and finding him ultimately in the temple. Having worked at a grocery store for 12 years, I saw many moms and dads lose their little ones in the store. The parents’ faces always looked panicked. I’m sure Mary had the same kind of face in looking for Jesus. After finding their kids in the grocery store, those parents really let their kids have it. Mary kind of did the same with Jesus, but she was quickly shut down by Jesus’ response, and took all that happened and kept it in her heart.
Why remember this in the heart? When we think of the heart, we think of love. This was a lesson for Mary, a lesson for her to see the bigger picture of who Jesus was. And this lesson was something that she didn’t put into her head to remember, but into her heart, so as to love this lesson and not to just file it in her head.
How do you internalize lessons and teachings from God and his Church? Is it put into your head (mind)? Or do you put and keep these things in your heart?
Reflection by Fr. Macario Martinez, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections