Reflection for Sunday – December 29, 2024

December 24, 2024Nancy DeRyckeSunday Readings Homilies

Readings: Sirach 3: 2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3: 12-21; Luke 2: 41-52
Preacher: Nancy DeRycke

There’s a fable about 2 folks walking around a market who spot a vegetable stand with a sign “God’s Vegetables.” They run over and say to God: “Finally, we’d like some perfect vegetables (beans, broccoli…).” God says: “Sorry, I only sell seeds.”

Today’s readings say that in a way—God gives us seeds. Our first reading from Sirach is a collection of practical instructions and advice from a headmaster of a Jerusalem school on how to act in many situations (homelife, business, travel, etc.) In this case, the lesson is how to treat parents. Not just for kids, but how adults treat their aging parents. As a nursing home chaplain, I see the difference it makes when family members and staff treat people with attention and reverence. Some on the other hand get no visitors or are written off in other ways. Seeds of kindness and patience are so important.

In the second reading, Paul writes from prison to squelch a false notion in the community that only a small elite group really knew the secrets of the Christian way of life. Paul says no—the “secret” is for all people, seeds written on our hearts—“Beloved, put on compassion, mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, be forgiving and peaceful, and overall put on love. And always be thankful.”

And I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear today’s gospel of Jesus being 12 years old after we just heard that he was born a few days ago, I have to chuckle at the incongruity. But to those of us who have or know children we love, sometimes it does seem that they grow up so quickly that these readings might make sense after all. Maybe we need that reminder —that time flies by so fast that we really need to be attentive. I bet Mary and Joseph and most parents think: “Sometimes I just don’t understand you…” Perhaps parents and teachers (and all of us!) don’t need to understand their kids or anyone in their life as much as plant seeds to love and guide them and to learn from them.

This Christmas season and every day, God give us people and experiences that can nurture the seeds of love, patience, kindness, peace. There will always be things that don’t go as we expected; there are always things we need to “ponder” in our hearts as Mary did. Most things we have the inner resources to handle, with the help of the seeds God plants in us. If we need a New Years resolution, maybe we can re-read Sirach and Colossians and let those be our seeds for 2025.

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Nancy DeRycke

Nancy holds Masters in Ministry and Religious Studies, both from Seattle University, and an M. Divinity from St. Bernard's Institute. She has taught courses in the Diocese and Seminary and continues to offer services to speak around the Rochester Community.Her passion is people and discovering and celebrating God in them and in the world around and within.

Retired from full time Church Leadership as Pastoral Administrator and other ministerial leadership roles she is currently part-time Chaplain at St. John’s Home.