1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 2:18 Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy wearing a linen ephod. 2:19 His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 2:20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, "May the LORD repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the LORD"; and then they would return to their home. 2:26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and with the people. [return to top] Psalm 148 148:1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! 148:2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host! 148:3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! 148:4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! 148:5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created. 148:6 He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. 148:7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, 148:8 fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! 148:9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! 148:10 Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! 148:11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! 148:12 Young men and women alike, old and young together! 148:13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. 148:14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the LORD! [return to top] Colossians 3:12-17 3:12 As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 3:13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 3:14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. [return to top] Luke 2:41-52 2:41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 2:42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 2:43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 2:44 Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 2:45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 2:46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 2:47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 2:48 When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." 2:49 He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 2:50 But they did not understand what he said to them. 2:51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor. Colossians 3:12-17 The author has already begun to describe the true Christian life. In what is probably an early baptismal instruction, he has called on his readers to “Set your minds on things that are above” (v. 2). When Christ comes again, they will be seen as being with him in power (v. 4) but those who follow evil ways will suffer the wrath of God (v. 5-6). The author has told them: “you have stripped off the old self with its practices” (v. 9) and “have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator” (v. 10). Now he tells them, chosen by God as they are, what virtues, ethical qualities, are expected of them: “compassion” (v. 12) is sympathy for the needs of others and “meekness” is gentleness and consideration towards others. Christ’s forgiveness of them (and us) is a model for their conduct towards each other (v. 13). The primary quality for the Christian is “love” (v. 14). In v. 15, the word translated “rule” literally means be umpire or referee: so may “the peace of Christ” be the reference point for your consciences, as it is for you all in the Church (“one body”). May the understanding, the knowledge, of the way Christ works be yours, and may sharing this in the community lead you to deeper understanding (“wisdom”, v. 16); may you show your thankfulness to the Father through the Son in worship. In all your words and actions, speak and do as though Christ were doing them. Symbol of St Luke Luke Three gospels in the New Testament offer similar portraits of the life of Jesus; Luke is the third of them. Its author, traditionally Luke the physician who accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys, draws on three sources: Mark (via Matthew), a collection of sayings (known as Q for Quelle, German for source) and his own source. It is a gospel that emphasizes God's love for the poor, the disadvantaged, minorities, outcasts, sinners and lepers. Women play a more prominent part than in the other gospels. Luke never uses Semitic words; this is one argument for thinking that he wrote primarily for Gentiles. Luke 2:41-52 This is the only passage in the Bible that tells of Jesus’ boyhood. On the “festival of the Passover”, Jews celebrated both Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and the Festival of Unleavened Bread, a symbol of the start of a new year. Jesus’ family is pious. He is now “twelve years old” (v. 42); in another year, he will officially become a man (now celebrated by Jews in the bar mitzvah). After the eight days of the festival, the “group” (v. 44, probably the whole village) begins the journey back to Nazareth. Joseph and Mary find Jesus in the outer court of the Temple “among the teachers” (v. 46), experts in Jewish law. Respectful of the law, he not only listens and asks questions, but also answers their questions. V. 49 marks a turning point in the gospel: these are the first words of Jesus we have; for the first time Jesus’ father is named as the Father – until now, Joseph has been called his father. Note “must”: the relationship between Jesus and the Father requires obedience. Parents do reach the point where they do not understand their children (v. 50); here Mary and Joseph do not comprehend that his relationship with God takes precedence over being their child. Upon return to Nazareth, he obeys his parents in everyday life. In spite of not understanding, Mary “treasured” (v. 51) what Jesus says – as his mother and also as the model believer. Jesus continues to grow physically and in understanding, preparing himself for the mission that lies ahead of him (v. 52).