Mary and Joseph made an annual pilgrimage from Nazareth to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. The year Jesus was twelve his parents departed for their journey home after the celebration and traveled for a day before realizing Jesus was not with them. They returned to Jerusalem and found him sitting in a temple with his teachers, listening, learning, asking questions. For three days Jesus was separated from his parents.
I can only imagine the fear, terror, and pain Mary and Joseph felt during this separation. God choose Joseph and Mary to be Jesus’ earthly parents. He entrusted His Son to their care. Anyone who has cared for a young child has experienced the heart wrenching panic of losing sight of him or her.
Jesus replied “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
Jesus’ parents lost sight of him, but was he really lost? Or was he right where he was supposed to be?
It’s hard to imagine when our children are little that we won’t be able to wrap our arms around them and protect them with our love and warmth forever. They will begin to separate from us in adolescence and the teenage years as they seek to forge their own identity. This can be an angst filled time. However, we never really lose them. We will find them answering their own call. They will follow their own path. Sometimes this path is very different from what we envisioned, but God is always with them.
— Kristen McSherry
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