Mary Experienced Relief
And Great Joy In Finding
Jesus In The Temple
"Seek, and you shall find."
-Matthew 7:7
While meditating on Finding Jesus in the Temple, it is helpful to look at a picture or
listen to some uplifting music and keep the
following story in mind while meditating on this final rosary mystery of the Joyful Mysteries...
Every year during the feast of the Passover, the Holy Family went to Jerusalem.
The Gospel of St. Luke tells of one particular trip when the twelve year old Jesus
remains behind in Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph don't know this however.
Mary thinks Jesus is with Joseph and Joseph thinks He is with Mary.
This could easily happen because the women and men would travel in separate groups
and Jesus was at the age when he could be either with His father or His mother.
Mary and Joseph do not notice He is missing until an entire day passes.
Can you imagine the anxiety they felt? They lost the Christ Child.
When realizing He is not with either of them, they look for Him among their
family and friends. Much to their sorrow, they do not find Him so they quickly
return to Jerusalem.
After three days, their anxiety turns to joy when they find Jesus "sitting in
the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions.
And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom". -Luke 2:46-47
Mary asks Him, "Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought
thee sorrowing." -Luke 2:48
The child Jesus replies, "How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I
must be about my father's business?" -Luke 2:49
Ones again Mary does not fully understand but she humbly accepts what He says to her.
Jesus goes on to set a wonderful example. Jesus, the King of Kings, goes home and
is obedient to them.
Peace will penetrate your life when you follow the example of Jesus here and you
become obedient first to God, then to Church authority and lastly to civil authority.
Remember,"render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's: and to God the
things that are God's" -Luke 20:25
Just as she did at the Nativity,
Mary, His mother "kept all these words in her heart." -Luke 2:51
"And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men." -Luke 2:52
The Bible passages for Finding Jesus in the Temple were taken from the timeless Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible.
If you are looking for a more modern language version of Finding Jesus in the Temple, our recommendation would be the
St. Ignatius Press Bible.
If you would like to read the full scriptural account of the Finding Jesus in the Temple can be found
in Luke 2:41-52.
Return to Joyful Mysteries page
More Meditations
On The Rosary Joyful Mystery
Finding Jesus In The Temple...
"My peace I give unto you"
-John 14:7
Here are some additional thoughts to enhance your meditation on Finding Jesus in the
Temple rosary mystery.
Return often to this page when you are praying the Joyful Mystery of the rosay - Finding Jesus in the Temple .
Make sure you bookmark this page so you can find it easily...
You can also contribute your own meditations on this Rosary mystery by going here...
Below are some meditations to think about as you pray...
Jesus could have come at any time but He chose to come as a baby so He could experience
all that we experience.
He wanted to be helpless and dependent as a young child. He grew from a baby to
a child then into adulthood.
This way He could be an example to all age groups.
Childish behavior brings to mind a not so virtuous state. But a simple trust in God,
docility, and the good intentions of childhood are things that should be strived for.
-
"Brethren, do not become children in sense: but in malice be children, and in
sense be perfect." I Corinthians 14:20
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"Wherefore laying away all malice, and all guile, and dissimulations, and envies,
and all detractions, As newborn babes, desire the rational milk without guile,
that thereby you may grow unto salvation." -I Peter 2:1-2
Listen to these words of Jesus...
-
At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the greater
in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst
of them, And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little
children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall
humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven.
And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
But he
that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better
for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be
drowned in the depth of the sea. -Matthew 18:1-6
-
During this mystery remember that you must be childlike to be saved.
The Holy Family went to Jerusalem for the Passover, a religious observance.
Following the example of the Holy Family, you should strive to live, work and pray as a family.
Saying the daily Rosary as a family is a good way to accomplish this as well
as attending Mass and other religious events together whenever possible.
At Passover, a lamb was sacrificed. Jesus, the lamb of God was present at the
sacrifice which was a prefiguration of Himself.
Jesus said, "I must be about my father's business".
Young people should pay attention to this.
You are never too young to ask yourself what does God want from me.
And more importantly to go to God in prayer asking Him to tell you what His plan is for you.
From the age of twelve, Jesus was concerned about His Father's business.
Jesus grew and became strong. He was engaged in physical labor at the side of His foster father,
Saint Joseph from a young age.
God values hard work.
Children should contribute to the family and parents should be patient, loving examples for
their children.
Mary wasn't a "scholar" or an academic. But she is a perfect model here.
Again, she is pondering the events in her heart.
Higher education is good, but the most important education you can seek is a deeper
understanding of the ways of God.
Follow Mary's example here and keep all the words and acts of Jesus in your heart.
Consider this verse, "Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men."
As children develop physically, they also should be growing in virtues.
Young people should know, love and serve God.
They should respect adults and be obedient to their parents and teachers.
And they should always be a good example to their friends and treat them with kindness.
These are the duties of the young.
The duty of parents is to teach their children these virtues.
"And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire,
failing in nothing." -James 1:4
Mary is such a wonderful example of patience.
She displayed patients in all her sorrow.
Losing Jesus too was a sorrow, the greatest sorrow any mother could ever endure.
Strive to imitate Mary's patience in your times of affliction.
In your times of anxiety you can turn to Mary with confidence because she knows
how you feel for she too suffered anxiety at this time as she searched for Jesus.
Her consolation for being so patient was finding Jesus in the temple safe and sound.
Though through no fault of her own, Mary missing Jesus these three days can be
related to those who lose Jesus' life in their souls when they commit serious sin.
To have the light then to be deprived of it is a great sorrow indeed.
If you ever do fall into serious sin, make it a priority to receive the sacrament of
Penance right away.
Do not seek Jesus in vain. He can be found in the Catholic Church and He is
waiting there for you.
Do not misunderstand Mary's words as a rebuke.
Quite to the contrary, it should be viewed as a loving complaint.
Yes, she was overjoyed when finding Jesus in the temple but she may also have
supposed she had done something that caused Jesus to leave.
It is a great suffering indeed for a person who loves God to fear they may have
done something to offend Him.
Consider again Mary's loving complaint..
"Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing."
Finding Jesus in the temple is a prefiguration of the three days Jesus
was in the tomb.
"The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the ancients and
chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day rise again." -Luke 9:22
Prayer After Meditation
On
Finding Jesus
In The Temple...
Dear Lord, God almighty, let me remember with great joy the times I have found Jesus after I had gone astray.
Thank you for your great example of doing the will of your Father, so I inturn can
follow your perfect example.
Grant me that in all my quests for knowledge and peace, I may never suffer the loss of
Jesus the only source of true peace.
Amen
Return to the fourth Joyful Mystery page - Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
Return to our Rosary Mysteries page
More scriptural meditations on the rosary mystery - Finding Jesus in the Temple here...
Catholic Mysteries Of The Rosary
Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
The Joyful Mysteries are taken mostly from St. Luke's Gospel in the New Testament. They involve the joyful events of Jesus' childhood. The most joyful event in all of human history is the Incarnation or when God became man and dwelt among us read more...
Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary
What a gift the the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary are. Meditating on these
Mysteries of Light bring even deeper understanding of the public life of Jesus.
They fill in the blanks between Jesus' childhood and His suffering and death on
the cross. Therefore read more...
Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary
The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary remind you of how much Jesus
loves you. He suffered and died for you. "Greater love than this no
man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
-John 15:13. You are loved by Jesus read more...
Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
The Glorious Mysteries are the crown of Jesus' triumphs. How
exhilarating to know that Jesus is God and that He rose from the dead,
making you an heir to Heaven. Reminding yourself of these glorious
events as you pray the Rosary prayer will keep your faith alive and strong read more...
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