Daily Reflections - December 22, 2011

A Memo to Parents

When I was a little boy, I was intrigued by a large cucumber I saw in school. It was just an ordinary cucumber but it was in the strangest place. The cucumber was kept inside a bottle on a shelf. This cucumber was many times too large to go through the neck of the bottle and I wondered how it was able to pass through it.
It was a constant puzzle to my young mind and my teacher would always tease the class that it was a magic trick of hers. Until one day, in one of her lectures, my teacher finally explained that when the cucumber was very tiny, it had been passed through the narrow neck and then was allowed to grow while still attached to the vine. It was little but it grew inside the bottle while attached to the vine.
In our readings today, we see two women with their sons. In the first reading, Hannah brings the young Samuel to the temple. In the Gospel, Mary speaks of the Child in her womb. What is common in both mothers is that they kept their “little cucumbers” (read: sons) attached to the Vine of God. Both mothers realized that their sons were not their own. They are bound for great things and thus need to be attached to the Vine of God. Hannah consecrates Samuel in the temple, Mary prophesies the marvels that Jesus will accomplish as Messiah.
My mother practiced a similar principle with me and my siblings. From my earliest recollection, she surrounded me with prayer and instruction and the Gospel. She taught me my night prayers. She showed me how to fold my hands and bend my knees in prayer. She guided me in praying the rosary. Thus, like a little cucumber, I grew up safe inside the bottle of the Church.
A confident parent once wrote, “Give me a child until he is seven and I don’t care who gets him after that.” So self-assured! But I guess if your child is strongly attached to the vine, you will have the same confidence. I pray that this confidence be the Advent grace for all parents reading this. Fr. Joel O. Jason

Reflection Question:
Parents, where are your “little cucumbers” at home attached to?

Lord Jesus, You are the Vine, we are the branches. Draw us and keep us close to you. Amen.

St. Hunger, pray for us.