When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.
When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
Thinking he was in their company, they travelled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. ”Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Luke 2:39–52
Though we have so little information about this period of Jesus’ life, the inspiration we can glean from what we do know is very precious.
Jesus grew up in the home of Joseph, who is remarkable not least because he plays so vital a role yet we do not know of a single word he said (see the study on Joseph on p. 70). Perhaps Joseph shows us that the living Word is nurtured and protected by silence, and grows to maturity in the company of silence. This leads us to consider the role of silence in our own lives, and how time spent in silence might help the presence of Christ to grow from infancy to maturity in our hearts.
The childhood of Jesus was spent in a carpenter’s household, with a family
who lived in simplicity on modest means. This speaks to us of the humility of God’s grace, but suggests also that simplicity, making do for ourselves, honest work, and the labour of our hands are all part of a spiritual environment.
Joseph and Mary lost Jesus on their pilgrimage to the Temple because they
assumed someone else was looking after him. That speaks volumes about the society in which they lived – where anyone’s child was everyone’s child, and all children were welcomed and loved. Jesus grew up knowing the meaning of community.
When they found their lost child, they expected an explanation, but treated
him with gentleness. He had caused great inconvenience and anxiety and they told him so – but there were no angry scenes. Nobody hit him. Jesus grew up with gentleness, and this helped him to mature into what he was meant to be.
Patient and gentle God, you watch in wisdom and love over our homes and families. So direct our feet in the way of grace that we are fit travelling companions for Jesus. May his light so shine among us that gradually we are changed to become like him. Help us, good Lord, not only to sing about him and talk about him, but really to live with him. May Jesus abide among us as a member of our family, and may the family likeness grow more evident day by day. For we ask it in his holy name; Amen.
