Jesus once got lost. At least that’s what his parents thought. They were returning from a festival in Jerusalem to their home in Nazareth and travelling with a large company of family and friends. Mary thought Jesus was with Joseph and he thought he was with her. It took a day to realise that he wasn’t with either of them and another three days of frantic searching before they found him. He was in the temple sitting with the scholars and asking them questions. Relieved and cross Mary and Joseph asked why he had treated them so badly. He calmly replied, ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’
It was a curious answer but indicated that he had understood his divine nature as the Son of God. He wasn’t lost at all but was at home with his Heavenly Father. Years later he would be back in Jerusalem offering his life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world and opening a way so that we could all come home to our Heavenly Father. Because ultimately, we will never be truly at home in this life but only in the life in the come.
