The Boy Jesus in the Temple

Today's Reflections 

      

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

Lk 2:41-51

⁴¹Each year [Jesus’] parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, ⁴²and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. ⁴³After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. ⁴⁴Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ⁴⁵but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, ⁴⁷and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” ⁴⁹And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰But they did not understand what he said to them. ⁵¹He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

WITH GREAT ANXIETY. In popular iconography, while the Sacred Heart of Jesus bears a crown of thorns, the Immaculate Heart of Mary is pierced by a sword, inspired by the prophecy of Simeon (cf Lk 2:34-35).

The Gospel—the only boyhood narrative in the gospels—tells of Jesus’ Passover pilgrimage to the Jerusalem temple in the company of his parents. At 12 years, the boy is at the threshold of manhood. And the first act of the “adult” Jesus is his declaration of total availability to God: he must be in his Father’s house or do his Father’s work. Jesus’ obedience to the Father’s will has precedence over human family ties.

Mary does not remain untouched by Jesus’ choice. She suffers when she momentarily loses Jesus. Her heart will be pierced when Jesus leaves her behind in Nazareth to begin his public ministry. She will suffer even more when Jesus will be contradicted by his adversaries and later crucified. But her heart is faithful to the end and beyond.

What sorrow have you caused your loved ones

because you gave priority to God’s will?