The Fifth Joyful Mystery:
The Finding in the Temple

“After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers… ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them” (Lk 2:46-47, 49-50).

“Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.’ And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

“And Jesus advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man” (Lk 2:41-52).

Jesus amazed the rabbis in the temple with his wisdom. Imagine Jesus asking questions to reveal the fuller meaning of the scriptures; imagine him quoting scriptures that reveal the spirit of the law and urge mercy over sacrifice. Jesus was already doing the Father’s work; already laying the ground work for what would come later. Imagine him planting seeds in the younger rabbis, knowing already which will follow the gospel and which will jealously seek his life. 

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

The rabbis were open to the insights the young Jesus offered to them. Jesus offers insights to us as well. He often speaks to us through others and through our circumstances. He reveals his truth through their love and inspirations, through their corrections and challenges, even through their errors and mistakes. He also speaks to us through the circumstances of our lives, through both the blessings and the trials, through the mundane and happenstance. Like the rabbis, we too must remain open to the insights God continually offers to discerning hearts throughout each day of their journey to him.

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

Mary was baffled by Jesus. Neither she nor Joseph understood what he was doing, and his explanation only further perplexed them. Still, they accepted his mysterious answer even though they could not understand it. They accepted it because they trusted him. Our Lord often baffles us as well. Indeed, life seldom makes sense, and Jesus seems slow in offering answers. He calls us to likewise accept his word and his will; he asks us to trust in him even when we don’t understand.

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

We, like Mary and Joseph, must continue looking for Jesus. We must take care not to question his ways and to trust in him completely.

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When we hear the truth of the Gospel, we need to attentively listen to it, like the teachers in the temple. The faithful disciple knows that learning the Lord’s ways is a lifelong journey.

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Prayerfully reading the Bible and other spiritual books is very much like sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning directly from him.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech thee, that by meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.