30 Dec Lost in the Temple? (Luke 2:41-52)

In this Gospel we get a glimpse of Jesus as a young boy as he disappears for three days while the family are on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Searching for a lost child for even 20 minutes is a most nerve wracking event for a parent. But to lose the Son of God for three days is something else. You might think that Jesus is even being disobedient to his parents in this story. We should remember that ancient writers often included a scene from the childhood of their hero in order to show the signs of great things to come. Jesus is eventually found sitting with the teachers in the Temple and is revealed as a very wise teacher.

While this gospel gives us a glimpse of the young boy Jesus, it is also a reminder of our own helplessness to do anything but let God’s dream be dreamed. Jesus knew this in a way that his parents could not fully grasp: “Why have you done this to us?” Mary and Joseph experience the tension between the anxieties of our world and the need to listen and live centred on God. Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, we pray for families everywhere, for parents and children and ask God to be with them, to guide them and protect them. “The attraction of the journey is stronger than the pull of all the picnics on the way” ~ Margaret Silf.