Why were you searching for me?

Why were you searching for me? (Luke 2:49)

I love this story in which this question is found. Jesus and His family have made the pilgrimage to the Temple for the holy days of Passover, and on their return, the parents discover Jesus is missing after a three day journey out of the city. They return back to Jerusalem and find Him in the temple, seated among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. This question gets directed to His parents: Why were you searching for me?

It does sound like the response of a child content with his/her decision to go another way than his/her parents. The parents had reason to be worried and certainly, to find Jesus, but Jesus also wants them to know that already, even at that age, He was seeking spiritual direction for His life and purpose.

The question for us is not so much the same, but perhaps, Why are you not searching for me?

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