Hommel Mangas
I was listening intently to Pastor Chris Franklin preach last Sunday about the Christmas story being a story of redemption and hope.
Pastor Chris shared the video scene in the 1990 movie “Home Alone” where Peter and Kate McCallister, the parents of five children, forgot their youngest son, Kevin, at home as they flew off to Paris for Christmas.
Similarly, it was mentioned in Luke 2:41-48 when Jesus became separated from his parents, Mary and Joseph, at the age of 12 and was inadvertently left behind. The family had been visiting a temple in Jerusalem for Passover, but after a day of travel heading back home they realized their son was missing — they found Jesus three days later listening to the elders in the temple and asking them question.
In defense of his parents, of who I can relate, the Authorized King James version translates Luke 2:43: “… the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.” The New King James Version reads: “… the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it.”
Speaking of tarrying behind or lingering, our youngest was about 8-years old when we may have accidentally left her behind. I might add that Phoebe is our most loquacious daughter — just so you might possibly understand our parental lapse.
We were driving north on State Road 37 headed to Mt. Pleasant Christian Church on a beautiful fall Sunday morning (many decades before 37 was I-69) when Steve’s cell rang — this was pre-any Apple phone existed; it was probably a Nokia or possibly one of the hip flip-phones. From the front passenger seat, I could distinctly hear a small, calm child-voice from Steve’s phone.
“Dad, did you forget something?”
He briefly looked into the rearview mirror, and saw his two eldest daughters, then answered, “We’re coming back for you.” We instantly did a U-turn and headed home to pick up Phoebe, who had called from the house phone, when she looked up and noticed everyone was gone.
We had obviously walked past her on the way out of the house, while she had been quietly and contentedly immersed in a book at Steve’s desk by our back door and hadn’t noticed we had all left.
At the ending of “Home Alone,” Kevin and his mom reunite and lock eyes in love, and all the past hurts, mistakes and communication failures melt away — and love prevails.
My eyes blurred with tears.
Merry Christmas — may God’s redeeming love transform us.
Janet Hommel Mangas grew up on the east side of Greenwood. The Center Grove area resident and her husband are the parents of three daughters. Send comments to [email protected].
