God's Ways

And when Jesus was twelve years old, they went to Jerusalem according to the custom of the Feast of the Passover. When they were returning, Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and not finding Him, they returned to Jerusalem in search of Him.

And they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who were listening to Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. And when they saw Him, they were astonished. And his mother said to Him, "Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold, in sorrow thy father and I have been seeking thee." 

And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" And they did not understand the word that He spoke to them.


Mary reflected on the mysterious designs of God and pondered on His Providence in her heart. The first occasion was when the shepherds visited the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem and told Mary and Joseph all they had seen and heard. Mary is then said to have "kept in mind all these things, pondering them in her heart". The second occasion, the finding of Jesus in the Temple. 18 years later the silence lifted when Christ began His ministry at the age of 30.


 
God loves every human being and He tries everybody. St. Paul’s letters were written in prison, while he was in chains. Scourged, betrayed, hated; he experienced deep interior sufferings. All were trials God sent to Paul.


We return to the Finding of Jesus. Jesus did not have to stay and if He had decided to do so, He could have simply told His Parents, Mary and Joseph. God does not tell us what He is going to do, He just does it. Then He lets us try to figure it out for ourselves.
He never puts wonderful things into our lives-be they people or situations-without in His own way taking them away. Leave it to God. The mystery of the finding in the Temple teaches us that God's ways are not our ways.
When God allows us to suffer, God evokes from us the deepest resources of our faith. To accept what we do not understand is to by faith in God place ourselves completely in His care.

When we love God the souls only desire is to do the Will of God.

At the Annunciation, Mary was told about Elizabeth, her response was the visitation. But the last thing one would want to make is a long journey to the hill country of Judea. Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was with child. During Joseph's long state of uncertainty, Mary was never told to tell him, so she didn't. And Mary most probably had the most difficult time - a silent suffering of a kind? One of the most painful experiences in life is to think that someone we love thinks ill about us.

The last thing a mother expects when she brings a child into the world is to have that child born, as Christ was, in a barn. The prophecy of Simeon and the flight into Egypt were unexpected. But most of all, Christ's strange words to Mary when He was found (the loss in the Temple), "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?"

Mary was "most faithful" because, she had to live by faith! Her faith was tried! Like Mary, we should respond to God's ways in our lives.

 

We are to accept what God wants of us, or to surrender what He evidently wants us to give up - and not for a moment hesitate or hold back because we don't understand.

Please continue with:

Give Thanks!
Great Faith!
The Words of Eternal Life
Purgatory...
Reverence to...GOD!
It's a wonderful LIFE!