LK 2: 22-32 (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/020220.cfm )
One evening at supper a young girl sat with her parents as they talked about all sorts of things. Schoolwork and homework were high on the agenda; so were good results and ‘doing well’. Expectations were obviously high; achievement equals ‘good’; doing badly equals ‘failure’; wealth equals ‘success’.
The young girl was listening. She wasn’t ‘good at school’. Quietly she left the table and, taking the dishes to the kitchen, she washed them carefully, even though she found it hard to reach up to the sink. And, when she was finished tidying them away, she quietly returned to the sitting-room. She explained to her parents that she had finished the wash-up and had tidied all the dishes away. “Will you love me now?” She asked her parents.
Her father looked at her in disbelief; as did her mother who, assuming that she had misunderstood her daughter, asked: “What did you say, Anna?”
“Will you and Dad love me now?” Anna repeated, this time very softly.
Tears came to the eyes of the parents who recognised that they were often not at home and were so busy setting up a comfortable lifestyle.
“Anna, you are special, a very special gift from God,” her mother said, embracing her and realising that she hadn’t embraced Anna for some time.
“Your mother and I will always love you; always,” said the dad. “You will always be, and have always been, our very special person, Anna. Sometimes we grown-ups forget what is important in life. Yes, you are our best treasure.” And her mother added: “Our very best treasure.”
Mary and Joseph brought their child Jesus to Jerusalem, knowing well that they were given the greatest treasure of all to look after.
Cormac O’Brolchain C.S.Sp.
