19th Day — Mary's Loss of Jesus for Three Days
Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. (St. Luke ii. 48.)
1. When Jesus was twelve years old, He went up with His parents for their annual visit to the Temple. On their return they missed Him, and for three days sought Him, and sought Him in vain. What must have been the agony of Mary's heart during those three days! Had Jesus left them never to return? Could it be that she had unconsciously, by some negligence, forfeited the privilege of the company of Jesus? Was she never to behold Him again? Such were thoughts that occurred to her in the piercing anguish of her heart. Let us compassionate the holy Mother of God in her desolation.
2. What a cruel void in Mary's heart! The light of her eyes and the joy of her heart had gone from her. What an utter blank all else seemed without Jesus — how could she live without Him? Without Him life would be death. "How shall I comfort thee, O Virgin daughter of Sion? For great as an ocean is thy sorrow."
3. Mary, then, can understand our sorrow in times of darkness and desolation. No blackness of desolation in our hearts is ever like the desolation of Mary — when she had lost Jesus. In all our anguish we will cry to her. She will not be deaf to our despairing cry, but will most surely succor us and restore to us peace and joy, as to her there returned peace and joy unspeakable when she found her divine Son in the Temple.
Mother of sorrows, pray for us !
Hear, sweet Mother, hear the weary,
Borne upon life's troubled sea!
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