SR
← Meditationes Vitae Christi (Pseudo-Bonaventure), Castilian court context/Book 1 · Meditationes Vitae Christi
Chapter 14MedVC.1.14

Quomodo puer Jesus remansit in Hierusalem

The Boy Jesus Remains in Jerusalem

At twelve years old, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem with his parents for the feast, remains behind when they depart, and Mary discovers his absence only after a day's journey.

Now when he was twelve years old, he went up to Jerusalem with his parents, according to the custom and commandment of the feast, and the celebration lasted eight days.✦ So even now the boy Jesus labored with long journeys, and went up to honor his heavenly Father in his feasts: for the love between Father and Son is supreme. But greater was his affliction, and the grief in his heart more bitter, over the dishonor done to the Father by the commission of so many sins, than over the honor of his parent and the outward pomp of the festive celebration. So the Lord of the law stood keeping the law, and conversing among the elders, humbly, as though he were some poor little old man. When the feast days were over and his parents had departed, he himself remained in Jerusalem.✦ Pay close attention here, and be present to all that is said and done: this is truly a devout and profitable subject for meditation. Now I said earlier, at the beginning, that Nazareth, where the Lord lived, is fourteen or fifteen miles from Jerusalem, or thereabouts. When, therefore, his mother and Joseph had been making their way along different roads and arrived in the evening at the place where their lodging was arranged and where they were to stay, the Lady, seeing Joseph without the boy — whom she believed had returned with him — asked him: 'Where is the boy?'✦

Mary and Joseph Search in Anguish

Mary and Joseph search frantically through the evening, questioning others and weeping, unable to find the boy Jesus.

"And he — I don't know. He didn't come back with me. I thought he had come back with you." Then she, shaken with violent grief, said through tears: "He didn't come back with me. I see that I didn't watch over my son well." And she went quickly through the houses, and as best she could, she went about that evening looking for him, saying: "Have you seen my son? And have you — have you seen my son?" And she could barely feel herself, because of her grief and the burning of longing. Joseph, however, followed her, also weeping. When he was not found, what rest could they have — [506, coi. — uncertain reading, possibly an abbreviation or marginal note] [2.]

The Depth of a Mother's Grief

The narrator invites the reader to contemplate Mary's inconsolable sorrow, teaches that trials come even from God's love, and records her prayerful lament to the Father.

How great was Joseph's grief over the lost boy. You yourself can imagine — and especially His mother, who loved Him most tenderly. And though she was comforted by those who knew her, she still could not be consoled. For what was it to lose Jesus? Look upon her with compassion, and deeply sympathize, for her soul is in anguish: never from the moment she was born until that hour had she been in such distress. So we should not be troubled when we face trials, since the Lord did not even spare His own mother. For He allows them to come upon His own, and they are signs of His love; but it is good for us to have them. At last the Lady withdrew into her chamber, turning to prayer and weeping, saying: 'O God and eternal Father, most merciful and most kind — it pleased you to give me your Son; but behold, I have lost Him, and I do not know where He is. Give Him back to me.'

Mary's Prayer in the Chamber

Alone in her chamber, Mary pours out her heart to God, pleading for her son's return, confessing her ignorance, and wondering aloud where he has gone.

Father, take this bitterness away from me, and show me my son. Look upon the affliction of my heart, Father, and not as something caused by my carelessness — for I treated you carelessly, but I acted in ignorance.1 But for the sake of your goodness, give him back to me, because without him I cannot live. O most beloved son, where are you?✦ What has become of you? In whose care are you staying now?2 Have you returned to your father in heaven? I know that you are God, and the Son of God — but how could you not have told me?

Mary's Anxious Questions and Memories

Mary wonders whether someone seeks Jesus with hostile intent, recalls the flight into Egypt, prays for his safety, and pleads with him to reveal himself.

But tell me — is someone looking for you with hostile intent? I know you are truly human, born from me, and that another time, when Herod sought you, I carried you into Egypt.✦ May your Father guard you from all evil, my son. Tell me, my son, where you are, and I will come to you — or you come back to me. Spare me this time, because it must never happen again that I fail to watch over you so carelessly. Have I given you some offense, my son? Why, then, did you leave me? I know that you understand the grief in my heart. O my son, do not delay in coming to me.

Three Days of Searching and Finding

Mary expresses her utter dependence on Jesus, describes the fruitless search over two days among relatives and along various roads, and finally recounts the joyful discovery of Jesus in the temple on the third day.

Never, from the moment you were born up to this very hour, have I been without you — I have not eaten or slept without you, until now, alone. But now I am without you, and I don't know how this has come about. You know — because you are my hope, my life, and my every good — that without you I cannot exist.3 So tell me where you are, and how I can find you. Among the deaf and the like — that is to say — the mother was distressed through the night over her beloved son.4 Early the next day, setting out for home, they searched for him — and for her as well — through the surrounding areas, since the return route lay open through many roads: just as someone coming from Siena to return to Pisa could go through Poggio Bonichi, and through Colle, and through other places.5 So on the following day they went along other roads, searching for him among relatives and acquaintances. But when he was not found that evening, the mother was anguished as if beyond all hope, and she could not be consoled.6 On the third day, returning to Jerusalem, they found her in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers.✦7 Then she, seeing him, rejoiced — as if coming back to life — knelt down, and with tears gave thanks to God.8

The Reunion and the Temple Dialogue

Mary embraces Jesus with overwhelming tenderness, reproaches him with the words of Luke's Gospel, hears his declaration that he must be in his Father's house, and then receives his promise to obey her.

But when the boy Jesus saw his mother, he went to her; and she, taking him in her arms, holding him close, and kissing him tenderly, pressed her face to his, and cradling him in her lap, rested with him like that for a while — for she couldn't have said a word just then, so overcome was she with tenderness. Afterward, looking at him, she says: 'Son, what have you done to us?'✦ 'Your father and I have been grieving as we searched for you.'✦ And he said: 'Why were you searching for me?'✦ 'For I must be in my Father's house.'✦ They did not understand this saying.✦ Then his mother says to him: 'Son, I want us to return home; don't you want to come back with us?' And he: 'I will do whatever pleases you.'

Jesus Among the Teachers and the Call to Detachment

Jesus returns to Nazareth in obedience; the narrator invites the reader to contemplate his poverty, his humble posture among the teachers, and the spiritual lesson that one must sometimes leave even beloved family to attend to God's work.

And he returned with them to Nazareth. You have seen, therefore, the mother's affliction in the aforementioned matter. But what did the aforementioned boy do during that three-day period? Observe her carefully — how she makes her way back to some hospice of the poor, and with modesty and humility asks to be given shelter, and there she shared a meal, and she lodged with the poor — Jesus, who was poor himself. Observe him sitting among the teachers with a calm, wise, and reverent expression — he was listening and asking them questions as if he didn't know, because he did this out of humility, and also so that they wouldn't be embarrassed by his remarkably wise answers.✦ Moreover, you can consider three very notable things in the foregoing. First, because whoever wishes to God —' One ought not to cling to living among blood relatives, but to depart from them — for even the boy Jesus sent his most beloved mother away from himself when he wished to attend to the works of his Father; and also, after he was sought among relatives and acquaintances, he was not found.✦✦

Lessons in Humility, Dryness, and Obedience

The narrator draws three spiritual lessons: that even the mother of God experienced God's apparent absence, that one must persevere in prayer and good works through dryness, and that Jesus's submission to his parents is a model of humility against self-will.

Accordingly, whoever lives by the spirit should not be surprised if, at times, finding his mind dry and barren, he feels as though God has abandoned him — since this very thing happened even to the mother of God. So don't let your mind waste away in despair. Instead, seek him diligently by persevering in holy meditations and good works — and you'll find him again. Third, no one should insist on following their own judgment or their own will. For when the Lord Jesus had said that he needed to attend to his Father's work, he changed his plan, followed his mother's wishes, departed with her and his foster father, and was subject to them.✦ In this you can also marvel at his humility, which we'll speak about more fully just below.

Read the original Latin

Cum autem * esset annorum duodecim, ascendit cum parentibus in Hierusalem, secundum consuetudinem et praceptum dieifesti, etdurabatper dies octo. Loborabat ergo etiam nunc puer Jesus iUneribus longis, et vadit, ut honoret patrem suum coelestem in festis suis: est enim amor summus inter patrem et fiUum. Sed major erat ei afflictio, et dolor cordis acerbior, de inhonoraUone Patris in peccatorum multipUcium commissione, quam de honore parentis, et exterioris pompae fesU ItetiUa. Stabat ergo Dominus legis, observans legem, et inter aUos conversans humiUter quasi quiUbet aUuspauperculus. Consummatis autem diebus festis, recedentibus parentibus, ipse in Hierusalem remansit. Attende hic bene, et omnibus, quae dicunt et fiuntur, te praesentem exhibeas: valde enim devota materia et proficua est haec. Dixi autem jam Ubi supra ® in principio, quod Nazareth, ubi Dominus habitabat, a Hierusalem distat quatuordecim, vel quindecim milliaribus, vel circa. Cum ergo mater et Joseph per diversas vias incedentes, veuerunt in sero ad locum, ubi diaeta explebatur, et ubi hospitari deberent; videns Domina Joseph sine puero, quem cum ipso rediisse credebat, quaerit ab eo: Ubi est puer?

Et iste: Ego nescio, non rediit mecum; tecum enim eum rediisse credebam. Tunc illa dolore vehementi concussa, cum lacrymis dixit: Non rediit mecum: video quod non bene filium meum custodivi. Et velociter ire per domos, et quam decenter potuit, illo sero circuibat, qua3rens de ipso, et dicens; Vidistis vos filium meum; et vos, vidistisne fiUum meum? et vix prae dolore et ardore desiderii se sentiebat. Joseph vero sequebatur eamdem cum fletu. Quo non invento, qualem quietem habere pop. 506, coi. 2.

Quam ma;5nu3 fuerit dolor Joseph, pro pueamisso. terant, tu ipse cogita, et maxime mater, quse ipsum arctius diligebat. Et licet a notis confortaretur, non tamen poterat consolari. Quid enim erat perdere Jesum? Conspicebene ipsam, et vehementer compatere, quia in angustia est anima sua: nunquam ex quo nata fuit usque tunc, fuit in tanta. Non ergo turbemur, quando fribulationes habemus, cum etiam matri non pepercit Dominus. Ad suos enim eas permittit venire, et signa sunt suoe dilectionis; nobis autem expedit eas habere. Tandem Domina in camera se recludens, ad orationem et planctum se convertit, dicens: 0 Deus et Pater aeterne, clementissime ac benignissime ^ "vobis placuit mihi dare fdium vestrum: sed ecce perdidi eum, et nescio ubi sit; reddite eum mihi.

0 Pater, tollite mihi amaritudinem istam, et ostendite mihi filium meum. Respicite, Pater, afflictionem cordis raei, et non ad negUgentiam meam: incaute enim me habui, sed ignorans feci. Sed propter bonitatem vestram reddite ipsum mihi, quia sine ipso vivere non possum. 0 fili dilectissime, ubi es? quid est de te? apud quera nunc hospitaris? Numquid ad patrem tuum rediisti in coelum? Scio enim quod Deus es, et Dei fiUus: sed quomodo mihi non dixisses?

sed et numquid insidiose ab ahquo es quEesitus? Scio enim quod verus homo es ex me natus, et alias te, ab Herode quoesitum, in Jlgyptum portavi. Pater tuus te ab omni malo custodiat, fili mi. Indica mihi, fili mi, ubi sis, et veniam ad te, vel tu redi ad mej parce mihi hac vice, quia nunquam amplius continget mihi, ut te custodiam negligenter. Numquid aliquam offensam feci tibi;, fili mi? propter quam ergo causam recessisti a me? Scio quod dolorem cordis mei cognoscis. 0 fili mi, ne tardes venire adme.

Nunquam ex quo natus es usque modo sine te fui, comedi, vel dormivi, nisi nunc solum. Modo autem sum sine te, et nescio quaUter hoc factum sit: tu scis quia tu es spes mea, vita mea, et omne bonum meum, et sine te esse non possum. Indica ergo mihi ubi tu es, et quomodo te valeam invenire. TaUbus et simiUbus dicUs, sc mater per noctem angusUabat super dilecto filio suo. Mane vero sequenti die tempestive domum exeuntes, quserebant eum eUam per circumstanUa loca: nam per plures vias patebat reditus: sicut qui de Senis veUet redire Pisas, posset ire per Podium Bonichi, et per Colle, et per alia loca. Die ergo sequenU ibant per alias vias, quaerentes eum inter cognatos et notos: quo eUara tunc non invento, mater quasi sine spe anxiabatur, et non poterat consolari. Tertia vero die redeuntes in Hierusalera, invenerunt eura in teraplo sedentera in mcdio doctorum. Tunc ipsa videns eum, exhilarata, quasi reviviscens genuflexit, et cum lacrymis Deo graUas egit.

Puer autem Jesus videns matrem, venit ad eam; quem ipsa inter brachia suscipiens et stringens, et osculans dulciter, ponit vultum ad vultum, et tenens eura in gremio suo aliquantulura cum eo sic requievit: neque enim tunc aliquid prae teneritudine dicere potuisset. Postea respiciens eum, dicit: Fili, quid fecisti nobis sic? ego et pater tuus dolentes qucerebamus te. Et ille: Quare me qucerebatis? in his enim, quce Patris mei sunt, oportet me esse. Quod verbum illi non intellexerunt. Dicit ergo ei mater: Fili, volo quod redeamus ad domum nostram; non vis redire nobiscum? Et ille: Ego faciam quod placuerit vobis.

Et rediit cum ilUs Nazareth. Vidisti ergo afflictionera matris in pra^dicto negotio. Sed quid fecit praedictus puer in isto triduo? Conspice eUam eura attente, quoraodo se reducit ad aliquod hospitale pauperura, et cura verecundia petit se hospitari, et ibidem coraedit, et hospitabatur cum pauperibus Jesus pauper. Conspice eum sedentem inter doctores vultu placido, sapienti et reverenti; et audiebat, et interrogabat eos quasi ignorans; quod ex humilitate faciebat, et eUam ne illi verecundarentur super mirabUibus responsis ejus. Considerare autem potes in praedictis tria Trian valde notabilia. Priraum, quia qui Deo vult '. **'* adhaerere, non debet inter consanguineos conversari, sed ab eis discedere: nam et puer | Jesus a se dimisit dilecUssimam matrem, cum operibus Patris sui intendere voluit; et etiam postea quaesitus, inter cognatos et notos inventus non fuit.

Secundum, quod qui spiritualiter vivit, non miretur, si aliquando mente arida remanens, videtur sibi se esse derelictum a j Deo, cum eUam matri Dei hoc contigerit. Non ergo mente tabescat, sed diligenter eum quaerat in sacris meditaUonibus et bonis operibus persistendo, et reinveniet eum. Tertium, quod non debet quis esse proprii sensus, vel propriae voluntatis: nam cum Dominus Jesus dixisset, quod oportebat eum operibus patris intendere, mutavit consilium, et matris voluntatem secutus est, et recessit cum ea et nutritio suo, et erat subditus illis. In quo etiam admirari potes humilitatem ipsius, de qua plenius infra proxime dicemus

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Luke.2.42 — And when he was twelve years old, as they were going up according to the custom of the feast,
  2. ↩Luke.2.43 — And when the days were completed, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not know it.
  3. ↩Luke.2.48 — When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, 'Child, why have you treated us like this? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in anguish.'
  4. ↩Gen.3.9 — And the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"
  5. ↩Matt.2.13-Matt.2.15 — Now after they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him." Matt.2.14 — So when Joseph got up, he took the child and his mother by night and withdrew to Egypt, Matt.2.15 — And he remained there until the death of Herod, in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'
  6. ↩Luke.2.46 — After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
  7. ↩Luke.2.48 — When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, 'Child, why have you treated us like this? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in anguish.'
  8. ↩Luke.2.48 — When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, 'Child, why have you treated us like this? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in anguish.'
  9. ↩Luke.2.49 — And he said to them, 'Why were you seeking me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?'
  10. ↩Luke.2.49 — And he said to them, 'Why were you seeking me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?'
  11. ↩Luke.2.50 — And they did not understand the word that he had spoken to them.
  12. ↩Luke.2.46-Luke.2.47 — After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Luke.2.47 — And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and his answers.
  13. ↩Luke.2.49 — And he said to them, 'Why were you seeking me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?'
  14. ↩Luke.2.44 — But supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances.
  15. ↩Luke.2.51 — And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The source reads 'raei' (uncertain, possibly a scribal variant of mei); normalized text reads 'raei' as well. The translation follows the most plausible intended sense 'my' (genitive of ego), yielding 'affliction of my heart.'
  2. 2 ↩The source reads 'quera' (uncertain form, possibly a scribal variant of quos or quem). The translation follows the most plausible intended sense: 'with whom' (quos or quem), yielding 'in whose care.'
  3. 3 ↩quaUter (t7) is an uncertain reading; the intended sense is likely 'how' or 'in what way,' rendered here as 'how this has come about.'
  4. 4 ↩This sentence contains multiple uncertain or corrupt readings (TaUbus, simiUbus, dicUs, sc, angusuabat). The translation attempts the most plausible sense: Mary, like a mother among those who cannot hear or understand, was anguished through the night. The text may be corrupt and the rendering is tentative.
  5. 5 ↩Several uncertain readings: quserebant (possibly quaerebant), eUam (possibly etiam), circumstanUa (possibly circumstantia loca), veUet (possibly veniret). Place names Senis, Pisas, Podium Bonichi, Colle are rendered as Siena, Pisa, Poggio Bonichi, Colle. Translation follows the most plausible intended sense.
  6. 6 ↩Uncertain readings: sequenU (possibly sequenti), eUara (possibly vespera, 'evening'). Rendered as 'that evening' based on context.
  7. 7 ↩Multiple uncertain readings: Hierusalera (possibly Hierusalem/Hierosolyma), eura (possibly eam), teraplo (possibly templo), sedentera (possibly sedentem), mcdio (possibly medio). Translation follows the most plausible intended sense, matching the Lucan narrative (Luke 2:46).
  8. 8 ↩graUas (t12) is an uncertain reading, likely a corruption of gratias ('thanks'). Rendered as 'thanks' based on context.

Meditationes Vitae Christi (Pseudo-Bonaventure), Castilian court context companion

A scene a day, for life

Chosen Portion continues this rhythm: one short reading and prayer every morning, free on iOS

The Meditationes portioned Christ's life into daily scenes for lay meditation — the exact daily-portion model Chosen Portion delivers to your phone.

  • Keep the one-scene-a-day habit going after day 30, automatically
  • 10 minutes each morning: reading, meditation prompt, closing prayer
  • Free iOS install; your day-31 portion is ready when the plan ends
Chosen Portion — Daily Prayer (free iOS app) →