REFLECTIONS ON THE WORD – 01/16/22 (Feast of Sto. Niño)

Luke 2:45-46,48

45 and when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; 

48 And when they saw Him they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us so? Behold, Your father and I have been looking for You anxiously.”

Blessed Feast Day of Sto. Niño! The word "Sto. Niño" means "Holy Child", and by looking at the example of the Holy Child Jesus, we can know how to have a deeper relationship with Him. In our gospel reading for today's feast, Jesus remained at Jerusalem while His parents were returning to their home. Then, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph looked for Him, and they found Him in the temple after three days. What was Jesus doing in the temple? He was asking questions to the teachers of the Law. Then, Mary asked Him as to why He remained in the temple. Jesus Christ is showing us an example that wisdom can be obtained by asking questions and by listening to His voice. 

There are many times when we feel as if God left us. We may lack the peace in our hearts when we experience sufferings. Perhaps, God wants us to humbly ask Him why He allows sufferings in our lives. When we ask Him with the intention of knowing His will, He will reveal to us that He wants to purify our faith by imitating Him who accepted His cross out of love for us. When we try to practice our faith, we may be discouraged when we see ourselves falling to the same sins over and over. But, if we ask Him why He allows that, He will tell us that we should be more dependent on His strength rather than ours by being more humble and more firm on our resolutions. He does not abandon us. He is always within the temple of our hearts, waiting for us to ask Him these questions. In this way, we can deepen our relationship with Him by always seeking Him. 

May we always ponder the events in our lives where God speaks to us in our prayer. Let's seek His wisdom more by asking questions with humility and by listening to Him. Even if we do not fully understand everything, Jesus will grant us His light as we walk with Him in our spiritual journey. He will bring us to His Heavenly Temple if we approach Him with a child-like faith and child-like humility. 

Sto. Niño, have mercy on us. Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic