January 2: The Boy Jesus in the Temple
♫ Music:
Day 31 - Tuesday, January 2
Title: The Boy Jesus in the Temple
Scripture: Luke 2:41-52
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Poetry:
Temple
By John Donne
With His kind mother, who partakes thy woe,
Joseph turn back; see where your child doth sit,
Blowing, yea blowing out those sparks of wit,
Which Himself on the doctors did bestow.
The Word but lately could not speak, and lo!
It suddenly speaks wonders; whence comes it,
That all which was, and all which should be writ,
A shallow seeming child should deeply know?
His Godhead was not soul to His manhood,
Nor had time mellow'd Him to this ripeness;
But as for one which hath a long task, ‘tis good,
With the sun to begin His business,
He is His age’s morning thus began,
By miracles exceeding power of man.
SNAPSHOTS OF A MYSTERY
Recently I sifted through some old snapshots I uncovered in the garage. They were photos taken long before the days of digital cameras and smartphones. They brought back memories as photos are supposed to do. I sifted through pictures of friends and colleagues from when I started my career at Baylor University in Waco, Texas up through the years I spent in Hawaii before moving to California. As I gazed at the images of days gone by I thought about my friends from church and work, as well as my much younger self. I tried to remember what we were thinking back then; the promise of the future, the hopes and dreams we shared. I thought about dreams that came true and those that did not. As so many have done, I gazed at my youthful photos and pondered "If I only knew then what I know now."
These snapshots of my youth caused me to think on one of the great mysteries of the Incarnation. When did Jesus know He was God? Scripture tells us Jesus was one with the Father from all eternity. But when He took on human form He veiled his divinity and partook of many of the human experiences we all share so that He could understand our humanness. What was it like for the eternal God to step into our space-time continuum? While we can never truly know the full answer to that question the story from Luke 2:41-52 gives us some clues. By this time in His life Jesus is aware that He is the Son of God for he says to his parents "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" Yet, the story concludes by noting that He "increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." But the changeless, eternal God cannot grow in wisdom. So there is clearly a mystery here that leaves us as perplexed as were the elders in the temple. We see their amazement depicted in Borgianni's magnificent painting as they marvel at the wisdom and insight of this incredible youth.
Jesus' parents and the learned men of the temple were all astonished at what He was saying and doing. They could not comprehend what He told them. But Mary "treasured up all these things in her heart". In the song for today, "The Seven Rejoices of Mary," we hear the singer recount the major events in Jesus' life. It is a sort of musical version of flipping through snapshots in Mary's photo album. The song makes us wonder what did Mary think of it all? Perhaps it is John Donne's poem that captures best the unfathomable mystery of what it means to be truly God and truly Man. Like us, Jesus was once a youth, similar to our youthful selves that appear in our snapshots. But unlike us He was, and is, the redeemer of the world "By miracles exceeding power of man."
Prayer:
Dear Lord, help us to be like Mary, to treasure up in our hearts all of who you truly are. May we ponder anew the great mystery of the Godhead that took on frail flesh for our salvation. At this blessed season, may we come to know you more fully and accept by faith that which our finite minds cannot comprehend. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Gregg Geary
Dean of the Library at Biola University
About the Artwork:
Jesus Amongst the Doctors, 1610
Orazio Borgianni
Oil on canvas
78 × 105 cm
Private Collection
Jesus, who had accompanied Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem on pilgrimage following Passover, "lingered" in the temple while his parents left to journey home. Realizing Jesus was missing, they returned to Jerusalem three days later, to find Him in the temple, discussing the law with learned elders and doctors. Borgianni paints an intimate "close-up" of the scene with a young Jesus closely surrounded by animated scholars intent on discussion.
About the Artist:
Orazio Borgianni (1574–1616) was an Italian painter and etcher of the Mannerist and early-Baroque periods, born in Rome. At the end of the 16th century he traveled to Spain, where he enjoyed great artistic success and royal patronage. Most of his works were religious in nature, no doubt reflecting the commissions he received. After returning to Rome in 1607, he continued to enjoy the patronage of Spanish aristocrats, as well as that of the Spanish ambassador to the Vatican for whom he painted several pictures. The chiaroscuro lighting of artist Caravaggio and the rich colors of Titian's Venetian School are reflected in Borgianni’s painting.
About the Music:
“The Seven Rejoices of Mary” from the album A Midwinter Night's Dream
Lyrics:
The first good joy that Mary had,
It was the joy of one.
The first rejoice that Mary had,
Was to see her newborn son.
To see her newborn son good man,
And blessed may he be.
Sing Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
To all eternity.
The next good joy that Mary had,
It was the joy of two.
To see her son Jesus,
Make the lame to go.
The next rejoice that Mary had,
It was the joy of three.
To see her own son Jesus,
To make the blind to see.
To make the blind to see good man,
And blessed may he be.
Sing Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
To all eternity.
The next good joy our lady had,
It was the joy of four.
It was the rejoice of her dear son,
When he read the bible o'er.
The next good joy that Mary had,
It was the joy of five.
To see her own son Jesus,
To make the dead alive.
To make the dead alive good man,
And blessed may he be.
Sing Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
To all eternity.
The next rejoice our lady had,
It was the rejoice of six.
To see her own son Jesus,
To bear the crucifix.
The next good joy that Mary had,
It was the joy of seven.
To see her own son Jesus,
To wear the crown of heaven.
To wear the crown of heaven good man,
And blessed may he be.
Sing Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
To all eternity.
And glory may he be,
And blessed now be she.
And those who sing the seven long verses,
In honour of our lady.
About the Music:
“The Seven Joys of Mary" is a traditional carol about Mary's happiness during various moments in the life of Jesus and was probably inspired by popular Medieval Europe devotions of the surrounding events of the life of the Virgin Mary. The seven joys are typically listed as: The Annunciation, The Nativity of Jesus, The Adoration of the Magi, The Resurrection of Christ, The Ascension of Christ to Heaven, The Pentecost or Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and Mary, and The Coronation of the Virgin in Heaven. Though not traditionally associated with Christmas, the carol has become so in the modern era.
About the Performer:
Loreena Isabel Irene McKennitt (b. 1957) is a Canadian musician, composer, harpist, accordionist, and pianist who writes, records, and performs world music with Celtic and Middle Eastern themes. McKennitt is known for her refined and clear dramatic soprano vocals. She has sold more than 14 million records worldwide.
About the Poet:
John Donne (1572-1631) was one of England’s most gifted and influential poets. Raised a Roman Catholic, Donne later converted to Anglicanism, though his sensibility, as indicated perhaps in his late Christian poetry, seems always to have remained with the Roman Catholic Church. Unable to find civil employment, Donne was eventually persuaded of his calling to the church and took Anglican orders in 1615. Acclaimed for his brilliant sermons, he was soon appointed Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. He is considered the pre-eminent representative of the metaphysical poets.
About the Devotional Writer:
Gregg Geary is the Dean of the Library at Biola University. In addition to his masters in Library Science, Dr. Geary hold a masters degree in sacred music and a Ph.D. in musicology. His hobbies include singing in his church choir at First Presbyterian Church, Fullerton, CA, playing piano, gardening, travel, and plein air oil painting.