Gospel
The Gospel according to St. Luke, ii. 40-52.
“And the Child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom: and the grace of God was in Him. And His parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the Pasch. And when He was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, and having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not. And thinking that He was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances. And not finding Him they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him. And it came to pass that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His answers. And seeing Him they wondered. And His mother said to Him: Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. And He said to them: How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business? And they understood not the word that He spoke unto them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. And His mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age, and grace with God and man.”
Summary of the Morrow’s Meditation
We will meditate to-morrow: 1st, on the mystery of the Child Jesus lost at Jerusalem; 2d, on the diligence with which Mary and Joseph sought Him; 3d, on the happiness they experienced when they found Him. We will then make the resolution: 1st, to serve God in seasons of aridity and of desolation as well as in seasons of consolation; 2d, to return to Jesus Christ as soon as we observe that dissipation has separated us from Him, and to keep Him with us by recollection and prayer when we have found Him. Our spiritual nosegay shall be the words of the Imitation, “If you seek Jesus in everything you will assuredly find Him” (I. Imit. vii. 3).
Meditation for the Morning
Let us adore the Infant Jesus separating Himself during three days from Mary and Joseph. Let us revere the secret reasons of this separation; let us beg of Him to enable us to understand it, and to make it serve for our instruction.
First Point
The Mystery of Jesus Lost at Jerusalem.
Immediately after the feast of the Pasch Mary and Joseph returned along the road to Nazareth, taking Jesus with them; but at the same time, manifesting an amiable condescension on their part, they allowed the crowd who surrounded Him to enjoy His society and His conversation. It was therefore very easy for Jesus to separate Himself from them and to return to Jerusalem without their perceiving it. When evening came and they had reached the place where they were to pass the night, they sought Him, and asked every one about Him, but could not find Him. O Jesus, wherefore hide Thyself thus from Thy beloved parents? Let us listen to His answer from the bottom of our heart. Jesus will tell us that it is in order to teach us that many lose either Him or the feeling of His presence, at one time by mortal or venial sin, by relaxation and tepidity, and by infidelity to their exercises; at another time by negligence in doing everything well, or keeping themselves in a state of recollection, by the cowardice which prevents them from conquering and depriving themselves, watching over their thoughts, their words, and their eyes; but the example of these holy parents will also tell us that we may lose Him without any personal fault. It is true that God often sends or permits desolation and darkness, the weariness and disgust which hide Him from the soul; sometimes to keep us humble, to make us acquire more merits, to strengthen our virtue, to form us to patience, resignation, and conformity to the Divine Will; at other times to make us seek Him with greater ardor, keep Him with more assiduity, enjoy Him with more delight. For what we have the most sought and have had the most trouble to find we prize all the more, and preserve it more carefully when we have found it, and we have more pleasure in possessing it. Let us examine ourselves as to whether we have not often lost Jesus by our own fault, and when we have not lost Him by our fault, whether we have accepted such a trial without being discouraged.
Second Point
The Diligence shown by Mary and Joseph in Seeking Jesus.
Mary and Joseph having that evening assured themselves of the absence of Jesus, return at the dawn of day along the road to Jerusalem, asking every one whom they meet if they had seen Him whom they were seeking. Having reached Jerusalem, they make inquiries concerning Him among their friends and acquaintances, but they cannot find Him. The whole day passes in this manner, without any result. Alas! it is not in the world that the soul finds Jesus when it has lost Him. The third day they go and seek Him in the temple, and in fact they find Him there, seated in the midst of the doctors (Luke ii. 46). What a difference between the conduct of Mary and ours! Mary is inconsolable at the loss of Jesus, whilst we are insensible to it; we do not even think of it. Mary has no rest till she has found Him, whilst we, on the contrary, do not take any trouble to seek Him after we have lost Him. We ought, at such a time, to be more faithful to all our duties, to pray more, and to call upon Jesus to come to us by constant heartfelt sighs; but far from seeking Him thus, we make Him remove farther away from us by relaxing and diminishing our exercises. We pray less, or we pray badly, with less courage and less confidence and less desire to be heard. Is not this our history?
Third Point
The Happiness Mary and Joseph felt on Finding Jesus.
To have found Jesus was, for Mary and Joseph, to have found once more the most precious of all treasures, their happiness and their life, for Jesus was both these things to them. After His loss the world had been nothing to them but a frightful desert (II. Imit. viii. 2). But with Jesus happiness had returned, and complete happiness, leaving them nothing else to desire. It was paradise on earth (Ibid.). Is it thus we appreciate the happiness of possessing Jesus? Is Jesus all in all for us? Do we count all to be as nothing without Jesus? Do we count Jesus as everything, even should all else be wanting? Let us question our heart, and let us not deceive ourselves.
Resolutions and spiritual nosegay as above.