June 08, 2013,Saturday
Immaculate
Heart of Mary
1st Reading: Is 61:9-11
Gospel: Lk 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.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Today’s feast of Mary’s Immaculate Heart follows yesterday’s Feast of Jesus’ Sacred Heart. The segue dramatizes the inseparability of these two hearts, and rightly so. Both hearts were beating in synchrony with the Father’s will. At Gethsemane Jesus prayed: “Not my will but yours be done”. At the Annunciation Mary said: “Be it done unto me according to your word.”
The Cebu Archdiocese had immortalized this segue when it established the Parish of the Alliance of Two Hearts (PATH). The resulting acronym ‘PATH’ reminds us of the slogan “To Jesus through Mary”. This slogan describes Mary as our sure path to Jesus, thus taking the segue to concrete levels. That Mary’s heart beats in synchrony with Jesus’ heart is not just a poetic thing pleasant to the ears. Mary works hard to bring erring souls back to God.
Devotion to Mary may not be absolutely necessary for salvation. But it is worth considering what role Jesus gave her. While hanging on the cross he entrusted John to Mary as son and mother to each other. Considering Jesus’ love not just for John but for all humanity, at that very moment Jesus considered John the representative of mankind. In that important last seconds of his life Jesus wanted the segue to include our hearts. Would that like their hearts our hearts also beat for love of the Father’s Will! —Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website:www.frdan.org.