After reflecting on the image and the value of a mother and a father, we tackle the subject of the children who characterize the family. Children are the source of joy. We continue this catechesis of Pope Francis on the family with F.Justolat E. Rafaralahimboa in "Fiangonana iraka, mpamafy fiadanana sy fanantenana":

I shall use a beautiful image from Isaiah. The Prophet writes: “they all gather together, they come to you;...our sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be carried in the arms. Then you shall see and be radiant, your heart shall thrill and rejoice(60:4-5)". It is a splendid image, an image of happiness which is fulfilled in the reunion of parents and children, who journey together toward a future of freedom and peace, after a long period of deprivation and separation, when the Hebrew people were far from their homeland.

There is so much to say about the child but the Holy Father would like to insist that children are one of the elements that give the identity of the family. The childhood and youth of Jesus are not much mentioned in Sacred Scripture, but they are necessary for the field of education so that children and young people can learn many lessons for their lives and their future.

St. Irenaeus, Father of the Church taught and the Church confirms to this day that Jesus Christ is also one of the guardians of youth and the saviour of youth. Jesus sanctified all ages in his name. Saint Irenaeus affirmed in "Adversus haereses II, III, 1": "The true young man among so many young men and exemplary for all young men is the one who consecrates and sanctifies his life for the Lord. Only a small part of the Gospel according to St Luke shows that Jesus went through childhood and youth to serve as a model for young people to sanctify their youth".

We have already said that the life of Jesus' childhood and youth among Mary and Joseph is hardly mentioned in the Gospel. The Gospel of Thomas, the Israelite, whom the Church calls the apocryphal Gospel, that is to say, the Gospel that the Church did not consider part of the Bible, tells a lot about this childhood and youth of Jesus. He pointed out that from his childhood Jesus acted as a son of God thanks to the many miracles he performed, even though he was still small. Many of his teachers and educators recognized his teachings and miracles. For Luke, his childhood was the culmination of his birth and at the age of 12, he was teaching as a teacher (Lk 2:46-51).