JESUS AMONG THE DOCTORS OF THE LAW

 Every year his parents used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. (Exodus 12:1-27) When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When the days of the feast were over and they set off for home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was somewhere in the party, and it was only after a day’s journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him, they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere. It happened that, three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, "My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you?" He replied, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?" However, they did not understand what he meant. Return