But when He was twelve years old, He went up with His parents to Jerusalem, according to the custom and law of the Feast, which lasted eight days. Then, again the Child Jesus performed an arduous and long journey, to honour His Heavenly Father on the Festivals appointed by Him ; for there is supreme love between the Father and the Son. But the affliction and bitter sorrow of heart which He felt on account of the dishonour done to His Father by the manifold offences of sinners, far exceeded the joy which the external honour and pomp paid to His Father during the Festival gave Him. Thus, then, the Lord of the Law observed His own law, and humbly took His place among the rest as one of the poorest of His creatures. And when the Feast was ended, His parents returned home, but He remained behind in Jerusalem. Here give your best attention, and be present in spirit, for there is much in this narrative for devout and profitable meditation. I have already said that Nazareth, where our Lord dwelt, is about seventy1 miles from Jerusalem. When, then, His mother and Joseph, having travelled by different roads, came in the evening to the place where they were to put up for the night, the mother seeing Joseph without her Son, in whose company she expected Him to have journeyed, asks him, “Where is the Child ?” And he replies, “I know not. Is He not with you? I expected that He had travelled with you/* Then the mother, crushed with bitter grief, with tears cried, “He has not returned with me. I see I have not taken care enough of my Child ;” and she rushed out, late as it was, with all the composure she could command, and went from house to house making inquiries about Him, and saying, “Have you seen my Son ?” “Have you not seen my Son ?” hardly knowing, so great was her grief and ardent desire, what she said. And Joseph, also in tears, followed her. And what rest, think you, could they find, when they found not Him— and especially His mother, who loved Him so devotedly ? For although her friends sought to console her, she could in no wise be comforted. For what was it to lose Jesus ? Behold her and condole with her, for her soul is in bitter anguish, for never since she was born did she experience grief like this. Let us not, then, be disturbed when trouble comes, seeing that the Lord did not spare His own mother. As it is His own to whom especially He permits tribulations to come, and they are the signs of His love, it is good for us to have them.
At length, the Blessed Mother shuts herself up in her closet, and turning to prayer and lamentation, thus addresses God : “0 God, Eternal Father, most merciful and most benign, it has pleased Thee to entrust to me Thy Son, and alas ! I have lost Him, and I know not where He is. Restore Him to me, I pray Thee. O Father, remove this bitter sorrow from me, and show me Thy Son ! O Father, look upon the affliction of my heart, and not on my negligence ; for I acted incautiously, but I did it in ignorance. But of Thy goodness lestore Him to me, for I cannot live without Him. O my dearest Son, where art Thou ? What has happened to you ? With whom now art Thou dwelling ? Hast Thou returned to Thy Father in Heaven ? I know that Thou art God, that Thou art the Son of God ; but how is it that Thou hast not told me of Thy departure ? Or rather, perhaps some one has treacherously waylaid Thee ? For I know that as true man Thou wert born of me, and that when sought by Herod I carried Thee into Egypt. May Thy Father guard Thee from all evil, my Son ! Tell me, my Son, where Thou art, and I will come to Thee, or do Thou come to me. Spare me this once, for it has never happened before, and I will never neglect Thee again. When did I ever offend Thee, my Son? On what account, then, hast Thou left me ? I know that Thou knowest the sorrow of my heart. O my Son, do not delay to return to me. Never, since Thou wert born, have I lived, ate, or slept without Thee till now. But now I am deprived of Thee, not knowing how it has come to pass. Thou knowest that Thou art my hope, my life, and all my good, and that without Thee I cannot live. Disclose to me, then, where Thou art, and how I may be enabled to find Thee.”
With these, and with similar utterances, did the mother, throughout the night, pour forth the anguish of her soul for her beloved Son. Early the next morning they went forth in pursuit of the Holy Child, through the neighbouring places; for there were many roads from Jerusalem by which He might return, as often between places there are different routes by which you can travel. They spent the next day in other places, seeking for Him amongst their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And after this, not finding Him, His mother’s fears and anxiety became intensified, and beyond the reach of all consolation. But on the third day they returned to Jerusalem, where they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors. No sooner did she see her Son, than she was over-joyed, and her life seemed to revive in her, and falling upon her knees, with tears she gave thanks to God. You can conceive how the Child Jesus, seeing His mother, came to her ; and she, taking Him in her arms, pressed Him to her, and kissed Him tenderly on His cheeks, and holding Him to her bosom, for a while continued to embrace Him, unable through emotion to express what she felt Afterwards, regarding Him wistfully, she says, “Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing.”2 Then He replied, “How is it that ye sought Me ? Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” “And they understood not the saying.” Then His mother said to Him, “Son, it is my wish that we should return home ; will you not go back with us ?” And He said, “I will do as you desire,” and He returned with them to Nazareth.
You have contemplated the affliction of the mother on this trying occasion. But how did her Son pass those three days ? Turn, then, your attention to Him. Imagine Him as a beggar, knocking at some poor man’s door and bashfully asking for a night’s lodging. See Him enter the house, and partake of the food which was bestowed upon Him — Jesus poor, amongst the poor. Then behold Him sitting in the midst of the doctors, with calm, wise, and reverent look, listening to them, and asking them questions as if needing instruction : which He did out of humility, and also lest He should confound them by His wonderful answers.
But here you may consider, in this occurrence, three important truths. First, he who would cleave to God must not be too much in the company of relations, but must sometimes withdraw from them. For the Child Jesus Christ left even His dearest mother, when He was intent on His Fathers business ; and afterwards, when they sought Him amongst kinsfolk and acquaintance, they found Him not Secondly, he who would lead a spiritual life ought not to be surprised if sometimes he suffers from dryness of spirit, and feels for a while as though he were forsaken by God, since, to our Lord’s mother, this happened. Let him not faint under this affliction, but let him diligently seek God in holy meditations and by perseverance in well-doing, and he will find Him again. Thirdly, no one ought to follow his now inclination and will. For, although the Lord Jesus said that it behoved Him to be about His Father’s business. He seemed to change His purpose and follow the will of His mother, accompanying her and His foster-father to Nazareth, where He was subject to them. In this also you can admire His lowliness, of which we shall treat more fully presently.
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