The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Today is the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. (Wikipedia, About.com) These are particularly powerful readings, but one especially touched me:

I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”

1 Samuel 1:26-28

Of course, then Hannah left her toddler son Samuel at the temple. Maybe that's not SUCH a good idea.....

This feast always reminds me of the song Wind in the Willows on Paddy Noonan's Christmas Time in Ireland album.
As I went a walkin' one mornin' in spring
I met with some travelers in an old country lane
One was an old man, the second a maid,
And the third was a young boy who smiled as he said
Chorus:
We've the wind in the willows,
And the birds in the sky,
We've a bright sun to warm us,
Where ever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind

I sat down beside them,
The flowers all around,
And we ate on a mantle spread out on the ground
They told me of prophets and princes and kings
And they spoke of the one God who knows everything I asked them to tell me their name and their race
So I might remember their kindness and grace
My name is Joseph, this is Mary my wife
And this is our young son, our pride and delight
We travel the whole world, by land and by sea
To tell all the people how they might be free

Chorus

Sadly, I left them, in an old country lane
For I knew that I never would see them again
One was an old man, the second a maid
And the third was a young boy who smiled as he said
We've the wind.... [Chorus]

lyrics from makem.com

What an image of the Holy Family! I can just see the precocious little Jesus talking to his fellow traveler about "prophets and princes and kings... and the one God who knows everything," lilting melodiously about the beauty of God's creation.