“Worried sick”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Saturday, March 19, 2022
Luke 2:41-51 (Forward, p. 49) CEV p. 1058
As a parent who has had the experience of a ‘lost child’, I can well understand and sympathize with what Jesus’ parents went through. In the case of my child, it was only in the limited space of the gift shop of the Vancouver Aquarium, and that, only for a few minutes. Just imagine, then, what it was like for Mary and Joseph! They were far away from home, xx miles at least, and He had been missing for something like four days. And with all those miles in between, and Jerusalem to boot, He could be pretty well anywhere!
Retracing their steps—even this was perilous, for they were no longer in the protective company of the group, their fellow pilgrims so they were extremely vulnerable and open to predators—was long and trying, even before they got to Jerusalem. And in Jerusalem, well, who knows where He might be? The market, with its action and varied wares, and its easy excitement, was a logical try, and so was wherever they had lodged during their stay. But the Temple—church, by our standards—was the least place you’d find most twelve-year olds! But then Jesus was not an ordinary youngster. The place of God’s worship held an irresistible attraction for Him and so too were the learned people who ‘hung out there.’ He yearned to be with them and converse with them and learn from them. But, this was the last thing on His parents’ minds.
Now, lest you think that they were rather negligent as parents, we need to realize something about the dynamics of the situation. The three of them had travelled from Nazareth to Jerusalem in the company of friends and neighbours and it was well-nigh possible that a chummy and sociable Jesus might be with any of them. Furthermore, given that the men travelled ahead, in a single group, with the women and children following in behind, and given that Jesus, at the age of twelve, was just on the cusp of being considered an adult and so could have easily have been in either group, it was natural that either parent could have naturally supposed Him to be in that ‘other’ group and so not have worried about Him until nightfall.
But what this says about Jesus and His upbringing! It is all so natural and familiar. We can so identify with Mary and Joseph and their fear and panicky feeling at losing Jesus, and with them in their amazement and relief in finally finding Him—and, I would imagine, their initial anger at Jesus, and their blaming of Him, for having put them through this.
But then, this also says a lot about Jesus, about how dedicated He was to God, how zealous He was about the things of God and learning more about Him, things that would characterize Him all through His earthly life.
What this does for me is force me to ask myself just how zealous I am for God, and how careful and dedicated I am to learn more about Him and His ways. It is, I am sure, something good to mull over and ponder during this Lenten season. Amen.
Forward notes: ”And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (verse 47).
“In this story that Luke tells, I imagine Jesus as a middle schooler. He is at a point in life where he is growing physically, having new experiences, and exploring his interests. He is even testing limits.
“Luke says that Jesus sat among the teachers in the temple and listened and asked questions. In the next verse, Luke says the teachers were amazed at Jesus’s answers. So, Jesus was not the only one asking the questions. Did the teachers quiz Jesus on his knowledge of the Torah? Did Jesus ask them about the kingdom of God? There is no record of the content of the conversation. We only know that the teachers were amazed. Even though Jesus was still a boy, they listened to him.
“Today, young people have much to teach us if we will only listen. Keeping children and youth active helps them grow in meaningful ways. Setting aside time to talk with them and really listen helps them understand that they have something valuable to offer. We might discover that they can help us learn and grow as well.”
Moving Forward: “Spend time with a young person in your life—and listen.