The Gospel of Luke tells of Jesus accompanying Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem for the Passover. On the trip home, a day and a half passed before Mary and Joseph realized he was not in the group ( he likely would have been with the other boys his age, and it was a large group....before anyone accuses his earthly parents
of neglect :-) ).
They found him in the Temple, listening and asking questions, and all who heard him were impressed by his intelligence. When Mary asked why he had caused them to worry, Jesus replied, "Did you not know I would be about my father's business." Some translations read "Did you not know I would be in my father's house?", He then returned home with them, was obedient to them and grew "in wisdom and age and grace before God and man."
From Luke 2, vs 41 and following. Jesus was missing for 3 days total, a foreshadowing of another time he would be 'missing' for 3 days- and be about his father's business during that time. Notice also, he was not teaching, but asking questions.
I've often wondered what he asked them. His response to Mary shows us he had knowledge of why he was here. Were his questions perhaps Socratic? Regardless, he was showing the proper respect a 12 year-old boy should show in that situation.
What do we learn from the Fifth Joyful Mystery? Respect for legitimate authority- teachers, parents, the Church.... Humility. Obedience. And all of these because we simply do not see as God sees. We must learn to trust that the wisdom and providence of God is better than anything we can come with on our own. If we do not, we run the risk of seeing ourselves as more omnipotent then God himself.
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