♔ THE WISDOM OF YOUNG JESUS, FINDING THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE, OBEDIENCE TO ST. JOSEPH ♔

The wisdom of young Jesus is related to us in the Gospel of St. Luke, when he is twelve years of age. This account is known as “The Finding of Jesus in the Temple.” Every year, Jewish men were required by the Law to attend three feasts in Jerusalem, which were: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Women and children were also allowed to attend these feasts if they wished, but were not required to. In the Gospel, we are told that both Joseph and Mary traveled to Jerusalem for Passover every year, and on this particular occasion Jesus was with them.

And His parents were wont to go every year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. — St. Luke 2:41-43

The Bible tells us that after the Passover celebrations, Joseph and Mary left Jerusalem only to discover that their son was not part of their caravan! The men and women would usually travel in separate groups, the young children with their mothers. Jesus, however, was already twelve years old, so he would likely have been in Joseph’s large group of men. After traveling for one day, Joseph realized that Jesus was not in his group, so he naturally assumed that he was with his mother. After realizing that Jesus was not among their relatives, they journeyed with haste back to Jerusalem. How they must have blamed themselves for the losing of their son. But a twelve-year-old boy is reaching the age of independence and will often go about on his own.

Most holy Mary and St. Joseph found themselves overwhelmed with self-reproach at their remissness in watching over their most holy Son and thus blamed themselves for his absence… and with deepest sorrow took counsel with each other as to what was to be done. – Venerable Maria de Agreda

It occurred to them to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances. And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem in search of him . . .  they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers … And when they saw Him, they were astonished. — St. Luke 2:44-48

The relevance of this event in the life of St. Joseph is often overlooked and seen in passing, as Jesus asserts himself as a wise but respectful boy. Indeed, this mention in the Bible gives us three hidden agendas, which each concerning a member of the Holy Family: God is present among the scholars, Mary’s intercession and Obedience to St. Joseph.

♔ GOD AMONG US ♔

The first agenda is glorifying the Christ child who demonstrated his deep and holy wisdom and understanding concerning matters of faith and logic. We are told that he sits among the scholars and listens to their words then gives his own opinions and observations. He amazes everyone with his profound insights, and we are told that even the teachers in the temple are astounded by his words! In reading this we are left with a feeling of awe and wonder as Jesus astounds the group of men:

. . . They found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who were listening to him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. — St. Luke 2:46-48

When reading this encounter of the Lord among his people—in this case the adolescent Jesus among the teachers—we are led to connect this with the Old Testament account of Abraham. In this story, the Holy Trinity comes to Abraham as three men who speak as one. They sit in his tent and he recognizes these men as being God, calling them “My Lord”. He even bows down to them. To passersby these men were nothing special, but in reality they were the Trinity, personally conversing with the Patriarch Abraham, sitting in his midst (Genesis 18:1.) So too did God come among us in the Person of the young Jesus, who sat among the scholars and conversed. However they had not recognized this boy as their Lord, yet he sat with them and left them full of wonder. Anna and Simeon however, twelve years earlier, did recognize him in the temple.

♔ MATERNAL INTERCESSION ♔

The second agenda is the role of Mary as mother and a glimpse of her role as intercessor. In this story, her heart is no doubt breaking when she discovers that Jesus is missing. Imagine her anxiety and heartache as she frantically searches for her son. The grief would be almost unbearable as it is for many mothers even today. Did her son simply get lost? Had he been kidnapped? Where was he? Jerusalem would have been a big place for rural people such as Mary and Joseph, and to retrace their steps would be agonizing. We can hear St Joseph and Our Lady speaking the words of the Magdalene after she finds the body of Jesus missing from the tomb:

“They have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have laid him.” – St. John 20:13

When the Mary and Joseph found their Son, it was Mary who first rushed to Jesus, telling him of the anguish they felt when they discovered he was missing. Embracing him she asked why he had done this to them, sighing her relief at finding him.

And his mother said to him, “Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold, in sorrow thy father and I have been seeking Thee.” – St. Luke 2:48

Since it is she who speaks to Jesus, she is shown as intercessor and speaks on behalf of both Joseph and herself. She takes it upon herself to express to Jesus the sorrow and affliction felt by both Joseph and herself and to petition him as to why he had left them. She brings not only her grief to her son, but Joseph’s as well. No doubt that Joseph felt Mary’s pain and relief equally, but he allowed her to rush to their son first so that she may embrace him. Should we not also allow Mary to be our own intercessor, just as Joseph had, placing before her our sorrows and anxieties? Our Lady, with a maternal heart, feels our own sorrows and understands our needs, so who better to present us to Jesus, than his own mother?

♔ OBEDIENCE TO ST. JOSEPH ♔

After Our Lady speaks to their Son, the third agenda is given to us, this one concerning Our Blessed Saint Joseph. Jesus’ answer to his parents is simple, and many people at first glance think his answer to be one of admonishment or disrespect towards his earthly father Joseph, however the opposite is true.

And He said to them, “How is it you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” – St. Luke 2:49

Some would argue that this response is a direct hit below the belt for Joseph, that Jesus does not recognize the authority of Joseph’s fatherhood over him, but only that of God. Yet, would this not be a breach of the Fourth Commandment given to Moses by God Himself? Jesus would not commit this sin or any sin.  Rather, Jesus was infused with so much knowledge and love of God that he felt so at home in the temple, doing God’s work and discussing him. He was answering in a sincere and direct way. This was by no means a shot at St. Joseph, after all, isn’t God the Father of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David? Is he not also the Father of Joseph and Jesus? Joseph, as with the scholars in the temple, is called to a life of service to God. Joseph is happy not only for having found his son, but for having found him at the Temple, with Jesus demonstrating that our desire should be to seek him and to do the will of the Father. His son was becoming a young man of wisdom and deep understanding, growing in grace before God. Joseph’s position of family head is asserted with the closing verses, along with yet another mention of Mary’s treasury, which is her Immaculate Heart:

And Jesus went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them; and his mother kept all these things carefully in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace before God and men. — St. Luke 2:51-52

Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican Gardens, 5 July 2010: In the Gospel (of St. Luke), Joseph appears in one more episode, when he goes to Jerusalem and lives the anguish of losing the Son Jesus. St. Luke describes the anxious search and the wonder at finding him in the Temple, but even greater is the astonishment at hearing the mysterious words: "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (St. Luke 2:49.) This twofold question of the Son of God helps us to understand the mystery of Joseph's paternity. Reminding his own parents of the primacy of the One he calls "my Father," Jesus affirms the primacy of the will of God over every other will, and reveals to Joseph the profound truth of his role: He too is called to be a    disciple of Jesus, dedicating his existence to the service of the Son of God and of the Virgin Mother, in obedience to the Heavenly Father.