Surprising words

Today's gospel passage recounts an encounter between Jesus and those who knew him as a little boy.

There's not much that we know for sure about the hidden years of his life: from the time of his birth and his presentation in the Temple until his baptism, with the exception of the trip he made with his parents as a young boy to Jerusalem (remember him getting left behind when they were on their way home?).

Many years later, he arrived in the synagogue where he had perhaps learned the essentials of religious etiquite, but this time he was given the honour of choosing the scripture passage and providing some words of wisdom inspired by it. His choice of scripture passages might not have surprised his listeners, but his words surely did: 'Today, this passage is being fulfilled in your hearing'.

Sometimes we are surprised to find that Jesus is truly part of our daily life, that he is close to those who suffer, but equally as close to those who celebrate happy occasions. Why is this so? After all, if we profess to be people of faith, should we not believe that He who has promised to always be with us should be present in good times as well as trying ones?

Today's homily might help to situate us, in the midst of global and local happenings. It might even lead us to new realizations about His presence in our lives .... or is that too much to hope for? Sorry folks, but this week the recording devices were not working up to par, so alas there is no podcast version of this reflection. Tune in next week; I hope to have the wrinkles worked out by then.