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From "Mysteries of the Rosary" by Msgr. Edward I. Hession
“And it came to pass after three days, that they found him in the temple, sitting int he midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.” Lk. 2:46
Upon the solemn paschal feast,
The parents of the Saviour go
Each year unto Jerusalem
To celebrate the festive day.
As Jesus now is twelve years old,
He goes with them this holy day.
How joyous is the paschal feast
For Him Who is the Paschal Lamb!
What joy to see His Father’s House,
The Temple of Jerusalem!
And yet, He sees the shadows fall,
To give way to reality.
He sees the painful Sacrifice
Performed upon Mount Calvary-
Perpetuated in the Mass-
Replace the bloody sacrifice
Performed within the Temple’s walls
He sees the washings and the rites
Replaced by saving Sacraments.
* * *
The days are spent in joyous prayer,
In praise and thanks, remembering
The sparing of the chosen race,
The victory of Israel.
* * *
But now the days have reached an end,
And Mary and her holy spouse
Begin their trip to Nazareth.
But Jesus lingers, unbeknown,
Remaining in Jerusalem.
Then coming to the company
Of kinsfolk and acquaintances,
His parents do not find Him there.
The sword of sorrow spoken of
By Simeon twelve years before
Finds Mary’s heart an open mark.
With haste this holy, anxious pair
Return unto Jerusalem.
For three long days they seek in vain;
The night brings only aching hearts.
But perseverance such as this
Must needs receive its just reward.
The next day in the Temple court,
The find their Son, disputing with
The learned doctors of the Law.
His wisdom startles all who hear;
They stand astonished at His words.
The pressure on that Mother’s heart
No longer can contain itself.
“Why hast thou done this to us, Son?
Behold Thy father and myself
Have long besought Thee, sorrowing.”
But oh, the very sight of Him
Brings joy that cannot be expressed.
The fears of three long trying days
Are faded in a glance from Him.
And Jesus answers, lovingly:
“Why is it that you sought for Me?
Did you not know that I must be
About My Father’s business?”
Strange words are these to Mary’s ears;
And like the words of Simeon,
She stores them up within her heart.
* * *
Jesus now accompanies
His Mother and her saintly spouse,
Adn comes with them to Nazareth.
he lives in full obedience
Unto their every request,
Advancing in the sight of God
And of His fellow Nazarenes
In wisdom, age and grace.
PRAYER:
“O Jesus, Thou for thirty years
Didst live a humble life on earth
Before Thou didst come publicly
And claim Thou art indeed the Christ;
Oh grant that we may be content
With doing all our little acts
Conforming to Thy Father’s will,
As Thou hast done at Nazareth.
We do not seek heroic deeds,
But let each small work be a link
To form a chain that may some day
Be fastened to Thy throne on High;
Then draw us by that golden chain
Into Thy lasting Paradise,
That we, with all Thy saintly court,
May praise Thee evermore. Amen.”
Reprinted for Council 13307 with the permission of Abbey Press, Inc.
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