When the Child was twelve years old, the Holy Family went to Jerusalem for the paschal feast. Once the rites were over, they began the return journey to Nazareth. On these journeys the families divided into groups of men and women; children may join either.
“... Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents knew it not. Assuming He was in the company, they came a day’s journey, sought Him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. ... not finding Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.” (Lk 2:43-5)
After three days, they found Him in the Temple, among the doctors, hearing and answering them. His Mother, drawing Him aside, said to Him, “Son, why have you done so to us? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.”
He answered, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Lk 2:48-9)
To lose Jesus is to be separated from Him by mortal sin and to be less united to Him because of venial sin; but also to lose the sweet consolation of His sensible Presence. We can lose Jesus in this last manner often by our fault; because we are unmortified and unchaste. (Thomas à Kempis, “Imitation of Christ”)
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp61-3
Losing Jesus through our own fault
Mary and Joseph lost Jesus through no fault of their own. We lose him through sin, lukewarmness, or a lack of a spirit of mortification and of sacrifice. Then our life is left in darkness.
In this state we must react immediately and look for him. We ought to know where Our Lord is.
“The Mother of God who looked for her Son so anxiously when he was lost through no fault of her own, and experienced such great joy in finding him, will help us to retrace our steps and put right whatever may be necessary when, because of our carelessness or our sins, we have been unable to recognise Christ. With her help we will know the happiness of holding him in our arms once more and telling him we will never lose him again.
“Mary is also the Mother of knowledge, for it is with her that we learn the most important lesson of all: that nothing is worth the while if we are not close to Our Lord. All the wonders of this earth, the fulfillment of our every ambition, everything is worthless unless the living flame of love burns within us, unless there is the light of holy hope giving us a foretaste of the never-ending love in our true homeland of heaven.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 278)
Jesus went away from Mary and Joseph. In our case, Jesus never abandons us. We cast him away through sin, or at least keep him afar through lukewarmness. Whenever someone meets Christ, He always takes the initiative.
In a separation, the initiative is always ours. When man commits grave sin, he is lost both to himself and to Christ. His life loses direction because sin is a total disorientation.
Sin is the worst tragedy to a Christian. This separation from God always “breaks the right order that should reign within his being, as well as between himself and other men and all creatures” (Second Vatican Council, “Gaudium et spes”, 13).
“... nowadays not many are grievously concerned by his absence from their lives. There are Christians for whom the presence or absence of Christ from their souls means practically nothing.
"They move carelessly and with equal facility from sin into grace, but fail to give the impression of men who have just returned from hell; or of having miraculously passed from death to a new life. One does not see in them the thankfulness, the joy, the peace and serenity of one who has rediscovered Jesus.” (cf F Suarez, “Joseph of Nazareth”)
We must ask Mary and Joseph to show us how to appreciate the company of Jesus and to be ready to do anything rather than lose him. How dark our world would be without Jesus! “Jesus, may I never lose you any more.” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Holy Rosary”, Fifth Joyful Mystery)
We must strive not to fall into mortal sin, and not even into deliberate venial sin. Unless we hate venial sin without the false excuse that it is not ‘grave’, we cannot be close to Our Lord.
Mary, “although she had merited to give birth to the Son of the Most High, was most humble and does not put herself before her spouse, saying not ‘I and your father’, but, ‘your father and I’. She did not consider the dignity of her womb, but the hierarchy of marriage. The humility of Christ was not to be a school of pride for His Mother.” (cf St Augustine, “Sermon 51”, 18)
It is very clear to all that Jesus is aware of his mission and of being the Son of God. To better understand his reply to Mary, we must see in it a way for Jesus to make us realize that God’s plans always have priority over human ones; and should there be a conflict, then “God has more right to be obeyed than man” (Acts 5:29).
Should we lose Jesus, let us remember His advice, “seek and you shall find” (Lk 11:9). He is always in the Tabernacle; in our spiritual directors.
If our offense is great, he always awaits us in the Sacrament of Penance. Through this Sacrament we purify our eyes stained by our frequent lack of love and venial sin.
It would be a great help for us, especially when we are in front of the tabernacle, or when we see the walls of a church, even its steeple from afar, to say in the depths of our heart, “Jesus, may I never lose You again” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Holy Rosary”, Fifth Joyful Mystery). Mary and Joseph will help us not to lose sight of Jesus throughout the day and the whole of our lives.
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:347-52
The Struggle
“You told me with a boasting but uncertain swagger that some go up and others go down ... And others, like yourself!, are just idling.
“Your indolence saddened me, and I added: idlers are made to shift by those going up; and -- normally with greater vigour -- also by those going down. Consider what an uncomfortable attitude you are adopting!
“The holy bishop of Hippo already pointed it out: not to go forward is to go back.”
Ref: St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow”, 165
• Our Lady of Life, at Venasque, in Provence, [France]. The chronicle relates that this image has often restored life to children who died without baptism, in order that they might receive that sacrament. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Life (Provence, France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Life. Venasque, Provence, France. [" ... chronicle relates this image has often restored life to children who died without baptism, so that they might receive sacrament. (Triple Couronne, n. 89)."]; (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Life, Provence, France. Image has often restored to life children who died without baptism. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• St Mary of the Angels (Aix-en-Provence, France) (http://mariedenazareth.com)
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