Sermon for 2nd after Christmas, 4th Jan 2026

Welcome sisters and brothers and peace be with you. Take my lips O God and speak through them, take our minds O God and think through them, take our hearts O God and love through them this day. <Amen>

Some years ago, a medical professor described a case study to his students. He described the patient under his care like this:

“The patient neither speaks nor understands the spoken word. Sometimes she babbles incoherently for hours on end. She is disoriented about persons, places, and times. She does, however, respond to her name. I have worked with her for the past six months, but she still shows complete disregard for her physical appearance and makes no effort to assist her own care. She must be fed, bathed, and clothed by others. Because she has no teeth, her food must be pureed. Her shirt is usually soiled from almost incessant drooling. She does not walk. Her sleep pattern is erratic. Often she wakes in the middle of the night and her screaming awakens others. Most of the time she is friendly and happy, but several times a day she gets quite agitated without apparent cause. Then she wails until someone comes to comfort her.”

After presenting the class with this challenging case, the professor then asked his students if any of them would like to volunteer to take care of this person. No one volunteered.

Then the professor said, “I’m surprised that none of you offered to help, because actually she is my favourite patient. I get immense pleasure from taking care of her and I am learning so much from her. She has taught me a depth of gratitude I never knew before. She has taught me the spirit of unwavering trust, and she has taught me the power of unconditional love.”

Continuing, he said, “Let me show you her picture.” He pulled out the picture and passed it around. It was the photo of his six-month-old baby daughter. <PAUSE>.

I like this story for MANY reasons but one of them is because, as the professor explains his pleasure in his learning from, and his gratitude for, his six-month-old daughter and so the story poses a question … Who is growing up here, baby or father? <PAUSE>

Growing up means establishing our identity and figuring out our place in this world. It involves creating relationships, setting priorities, making decisions. We must choose values and beliefs that structure our lives. If you are like me, along the way we make mistakes, get lost, backtrack, and sometimes just need to start over.

Today, it comes as no surprise to read, in Luke 2:41-52, that Mary and Jospeh would be in a panic when they discover that Jesus is not with their group of travellers.

With great anxiety they search for him. Three days later the one who was lost has been found. Mary’s first words are, “Child, why have you treated us like this?”

What I really hear is, “Where have you been young man? Your father and I did not survive angels visits, birth in a stable, and living like refugees in Egypt only to have you get lost in Jerusalem.”

But Jesus isn’t the one who is lost!

Jesus knows who he is and where he belongs.

Mary and Joseph might actually be seen as the ones who are lost. <PAUSE>

This gospel narrative is a story about growing up but it is not Jesus’ growing up. It is about Mary and Joseph growing up. It is about you and me growing up.

Growing up is not about how old we are. It is really about moving into deeper and more authentic relationships with God, our world, each other, and ourselves.

Jesus is the one who grows us up. He is the one who will grow up Mary and Joseph.

Children have a way of doing that to their parents. They challenge us to look at our world, our lives, and ourselves in new, different, unexpected, and sometimes painful ways.

That is exactly what Jesus’ question to Mary does. She had put herself and Joseph at the centre of Jesus’ world and The Lord’s question was about to undo that.

“Why were you searching for me?” He asks. “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

Jesus is telling Mary she should have known where he was. It is as if he is saying:

• Remember, the angel told you I would be the Son of God.


• Remember that night in Bethlehem. Angels praising God, shepherds glorifying God.


• Remember the wise three men from the East, their gifts, and adoration.


• Remember Joseph’s dreams that guided us to Egypt and back.

So - - - where else could I be but here?

Jesus has put the Father at the centre of His world and now asks Mary, Jospeh and us to do the same … to move to the Father’s home.

Jesus has moved from Mary and Joseph’s home to the Father’s home. This is not a
rejection of his earthly parents rather it is a re-prioritising of relationships.

This is what Christ asks of you and me, here, now, today!

Growing up spiritually means examining and re-prioritising the values, beliefs, and relationships that establish our identity and give our life meaning and significance.

It means letting go of an identity that is LIMITED, limited to our biological family, job, community reputation, ethnic group, or political party!

Let go of all of that and trust that who we are is - - - who we are in God!

Growing up means that we stop relating to one another by comparison, competition, and judgment and begin relating through love, self-surrender, and vulnerability.

Growing up means that we let go of fear about the future and discover that God is here in the present and that all shall be well.

Growing up means that we stop dwelling on guilt, mistakes, and regrets and understand that life will continue to be full of the unexpected and we accept the mercy and forgiveness of God and each other.

Growing up means we see our life not in opposition to others, not in trying to control everything but as intimately related to and dependent upon others. <PAUSE>

So, I wonder what might WE have to leave behind in order to grow up and move to a better place, closer to OUR Father’s home ? <PAUSE>

Sometimes, these can be hard questions, painful questions to ask ourselves.

Ultimately, however, they are questions founded on love.

Listen to the question in the gospel once more, “Child, why have you treated us like this?

NOW HEAR THE ANSWER THAT CHRIST GIVES US :

“Because I love you. I love you enough to grow you up, to find you when you are lost, and to bring you with me into the Father’s home.” <PAUSE>

The Christ child HAS come to grow us up and to God be the glory.

I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. <AMINE>