Treasure the treasures in and of your heart!

Luke 2:41-51

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 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.”

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Food for thought!

It happened; it happens. We sometimes loose sight of Jesus, just as Mary and Joseph did! They «lost» Jesus, just twelve years old: «the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.» It is interesting to note that they looked for Jesus everywhere, among relatives and friends, and the boy was nowhere to be seen. Why? Because they were looking in wrong places, relatives and friends.

We are like Mary and Joseph many times when we think we can find solace, warmth, meaning of life among relatives and friends; they too are struggling just like us. The gospel reading says that «When they did not find him (among relatives and friends), they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts.» After three days of looking in the wrong places, Joseph and Mary remembered to go to the temple. After three days! Indeed, Jesus' parents were just as normal as the rest of us.

«Why were you searching for me?» Jesus asked. «Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?» This is an intriguing question. It is as if Jesus reminded Joseph and Mary, where were you looking for me? How comes you didn't know where to find me? You didn't know I had to be in my Father's house? Why were you looking for me in the wrong places? My place is here, in the temple, in the Father's house.

What a lesson for you and me. The best place to go to when Jesus is lost, when we feel lost and least, when we are down, when we are not in the mood, when we are suffering, when we are frustrated, or when we are celebrating, is not in the pub or the relatives and friends; it is the temple within you. That is where we find Jesus, waiting of us. «Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?» 

Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19). It may be your body, but it's still God's Temple. The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21). Like Mary did, we need to learn to treasure the treausre in our hearts. Why? Because as James Cameron's Film (Titanic) put it: "A woman's heart is an ocean of deep secrets." This is what Mary does in today's gospel reading: "his mother treasured all these things in her heart."