Adolescents are often characterized in American culture as moody, rebellious, unresponsive to adults, secretive, addicted to text messaging, and generally disconnected from their families. The caricature carries over into films, televisions shows, and comic

strips like "Zits." Television sitcoms often garner great laughs by pitting younger, wittier children against adolescents to the delight of on-looking parents. Such views only serve to separate the members

of a family rather than unite them as one household.

While we may laugh at the humor, letting culture define family life is not the direction offered by Christian experience. For starters, Christians begin with

baptism, recognizing that each member of the family shares in the gift of the Holy Spirit that dwells in our hearts. As the writer of the First Letter of John says, "We are God's children now." In the family, each member is a precious gift with talents given by God.

The adolescent Jesus slipped away from Mary and Joseph in Sunday's Gospel. (Has it ever happened to you where one of your older kids slipped away because they wanted to stay out a little longer?) In the end, his actions were seen as part of God's larger plan. It remains a delicate balance in helping children to discern their gifts as they grow older,

while at the same time providing the discipline and structure that will protect and guide them. This feast that we celebrate today reminds us that the balance comes from seeing ourselves as a family with God in our midst. With that as the starting point, rather than the culture of the day, we can all learn how to be

about our heavenly Father's business.

Jesus said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he said to them.  - Luke 2:49-50