My dear people:

Today, we are brought to the Temple at a point in time when the Lord Jesus was twelve years of age.  In this episode, Mary and Joseph “lose Jesus” for a time.    As the story of Jesus’ disappearance is narrated, we see in Luke’s Gospel   how Mary and Joseph suffer a terrible experience for three days, much like the three days of Jesus in the tomb. 

Mary and Joseph are undoubtedly the two persons on earth who loved Jesus the most. They knew everything about him from a parental perspective, including the experience of osing Jesus for a time.  

The question is, Would it be likely that I might lose Jesus, too? But what makes us lose Jesus?  I know what makes me lose Jesus!  Sometimes it’s my own foolishness.  My personal sin is a moment of “losing Jesus”.  But sometimes it comes from outside of me.   When life comes at me with vengeance and everything is upended, I lose our focus for a time.  This can be when my health deteriorates.  When I lost my father and my mother within two years.  When I am worries about the financial difficulties of the school and the parish.  When it seemed that the world around me is falling apart.  But sometimes it’s God’s testing me.  He may purify me with the grace of suffering.  He may be challenging me to climb higher up the spiritual mountain.  He may want to pull me out of an “unhealthy comfort and complacency”.

In this case with Mary and Joseph, this is God’s will.  Mary and Joseph have not sinned.  They have simply not comprehended fully in their mind and heart who Jesus really is.  But honestly who could?  They lose Jesus, and then they must find him, so they go on a search for him.  So, I, too, must set out on a search for Jesus if I have lost Him.  

To not lose Jesus requires essentially and primarily that we have Jesus!  Invite Jesus into your life, into your family, into your home!  We must start somewhere!  Let’s start with the Rosary!  Outside of the Sacraments, the Rosary is the one thing that shall anchor us deeply in our friendship with Jesus.  And it is also the one thing that would help us find Jesus most efficaciously!  There is our New Year’s resolution!

Padre