{"id":21035,"date":"2020-07-13T15:46:04","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T13:46:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cantonuovo.org\/luca-2-parte-2-perche-mi-cercavate\/"},"modified":"2026-06-05T19:52:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T17:52:00","slug":"luca-2-parte-2-perche-mi-cercavate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cantonuovo.org\/en\/luca-2-parte-2-perche-mi-cercavate\/","title":{"rendered":"Luke 2 \u2013 Part 2 \u2013 Why were you looking for me?"},"content":{"rendered":"

After searching for him for three days in Jerusalem, Joseph and Mary found Jesus in the temple, talking with the teachers. Everyone marvelled at his wisdom and his words. When they saw him, they were astonished<\/strong><\/p>\n

and said to him, \u2018Son, why have you done this to us<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

? We were looking for you and were in great distress!\u201d But Jesus replied, \u201cWhy were you looking for me?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201d, as if they ought to have known where to find him. He went on, saying to them, \u201cDid you not know that I must be in my Father\u2019s house?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, he was not referring to Joseph, but to his Father who is in heaven, thereby affirming that he was the Son of God. Moreover, now it was he who marvelled at how Joseph and Mary had still not pieced together the full meaning of the events, the words spoken and the things that had happened during those first 12 years of his life.<\/p>\n

It almost seems as though they had not fully grasped that this young son, who was growing up in their home and under their care as a normal human being in every respect, was at the same time divine, that he would redeem mankind and reign eternally over all nations. In short, it seems that after 12 years they had still not pieced together the puzzle of all that had happened and fully grasped their son\u2019s identity, his mission, his destiny and their role in God\u2019s eternal plan, although part of the subsequent religious tradition has conveyed the idea of a couple perfectly aware of everything.<\/p>\n

Consider that 12 years earlier some shepherds had told Mary of an angel who had told them that the newborn child was the \u2018Saviour, who is the Messiah, that is, God\u2019, and that Mary was trying to commit those words to memory and piece them together to understand their meaning. Yet the angel Gabriel had been clear with Mary about the divine nature of the child she would bear and his eternal kingship, already announced in the promise made to King David. Moreover, it was the very same angel who also warned Joseph that the child conceived in the womb of his betrothed came from the Holy Spirit and that he would save his people from their sins. Both knew, therefore, that this child was the divine King and Saviour, miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the young and virgin girl Mary, who would save mankind from their sins and reign for ever on the throne of his earthly ancestor David!<\/p>\n

Not only that, but when Jesus was eight days old, they took him to the temple and an elder named Simeon recognised that he was the living fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham and announced by the prophet Isaiah. He said that he was God\u2019s Saviour, the light prepared to enlighten all mankind and the glory of Israel! The message was clear. Yet they marvelled! Evidently, it was difficult to fully grasp this, especially considering that, as most believe, Mary and Joseph were between 15 and 20\u201322 years old at most.<\/p>\n

I wonder what Mary might have thought and felt when Simeon, raising the bar of the prophetic tension of the moment, foretold that because of Jesus many would go astray and many others would be saved, that Jesus would face opposition so that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed, and that his life\u2014so decisive for the destiny of every man\u2014would be a sign of contradiction, bringing great suffering to his mother. Consider that for the Jews of the time, the figure of the Messiah was that of a glorious King, who would come triumphantly to free his people from the foreign oppressor and to establish a global, lasting and absolute peace. How could he have been a sign of contradiction among his own people and caused suffering! The point is that it was not yet understood at all that Isaiah 53 and Psalm 2 spoke of Him! Moreover, neither the angel Gabriel nor the angel who appeared to the shepherds had foretold these things to Mary or Joseph.<\/p>\n

Returning finally to the episode in the temple when Jesus was 12 years old, after the son\u2019s rebuke, Luke writes succinctly that his parents \u201cdid not understand the words he had spoken to them\u201d.<\/p>\n

Thus, in the first two chapters of the Gospel according to Luke, we can discern a sequence of reactions that highlights the difficulties Mary and Joseph had in fully grasping what had happened to them: Mary was troubled by the angel\u2019s announcement and tried to make sense of the shepherds\u2019 words. Joseph and Mary were amazed by Simeon\u2019s words and, moreover, unable to understand those spoken to them by Jesus in the temple. Once back in Nazareth, as their son grew up obedient to his parents, Mary continued to treasure in her heart all the words spoken during those twelve years, as if she were still seeking their deepest meaning and at the same time did not wish to lose the memory and richness of them. Perhaps, in the meantime, she was frightened and pensive about that sword that would pierce her soul.<\/p>\n

Yet, when some 20 years later Jesus was now in the midst of his public ministry, the Gospels record a disconcerting episode that took place in Galilee. The Messiah had entered a house and such a large crowd had gathered around him that the disciples could not even eat, and it was difficult even to approach Jesus. Mark reports that, upon hearing this, his relatives<\/strong><\/p>\n

came to take him away, for they said, \u2018He is out of his mind<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2019. His mother and brothers<\/strong><\/p>\n

arrived;<\/strong><\/p>\n

and from the crowd, many who were closest to him began to say to him, \u2018Look, your mother and your brothers and sisters are out there looking for you<\/strong><\/p>\n

.\u2019 Matthew and Luke specify that they wanted to see him and speak to him. Mark says they wanted to take him away. They considered him out of his mind and wanted to take him home. But Jesus replied to the crowd, \u201cWho are my mother and my brothers?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201d and turning his gaze to those sitting around him, he said, \u201cHere are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister and mother<\/em><\/p>\n

.\u201d<\/p>\n

What did he mean? That Mary, his brothers and sisters were not doing God\u2019s will? Mark points out that they were moved by the fear that he had gone mad. Perhaps they were worried about him? Or did they fear the disgrace this would bring upon their family? We do not know. We do know for certain that something else prevailed over what Mary, at least, knew of the extraordinary events that had taken place.<\/p>\n

What lesson can we draw from this for ourselves today? It seems only human and natural that, faced with the divine mystery unfolding before our eyes, we may all feel disquiet, wonder, amazement and bewilderment. But, on the one hand, our emotions, fear and shame, and on the other, the anxieties and worries of daily life, can not only obscure the memory of divine revelations we have received, but even prevent us from understanding the words the Son is speaking to us or what God is doing before our very eyes. And this contributes to making the path ahead more difficult and uncertain, if only because we risk hindering the work of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

God always knows what He is doing. If we do not fret, if we do not rush about or worry about where the Lord is leading us, what He is doing with our loved ones, or why we cannot \u2018find\u2019 Him for the time being, the words of Jesus and those spoken about Him will remain within us and:<\/p>\n

\u2013 the focus of our thoughts will be on all that is true, honourable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable;<\/p>\n

\u2013 we will be able to put these things into practice, doing God\u2019s will;<\/p>\n

\u2013 the God of peace will be with us, and with his peace, which surpasses all understanding, he will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, as we work meekly with him for the advancement of his Kingdom on earth.<\/p>\n

Luke 2:21\u201352<\/span><\/p>\n