How often have you misplaced something important—your car keys, your phone, or even your wallet? When something essential is lost, panic sets in. We overturn couch cushions, retrace steps, and search with increasing desperation. And then, sometimes, we find the item in the most obvious place—right in front of us or even in our hand. In that moment, relief floods in, but we might also laugh at ourselves for missing what was there all along.
In the Gospel, we see Mary and Joseph frantically searching for Jesus. Imagine their fear and anxiety as they retraced their steps to Jerusalem, wondering where their twelve-year-old son could possibly be. After three days of searching—an eternity for worried parents—they find him in the Temple, calmly sitting among the teachers, deep in discussion. When Mary expresses their distress, Jesus responds, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
At first glance, Jesus’ words may seem puzzling. But in them lies a profound truth: Jesus was not lost. He was exactly where he was meant to be, in his Father’s house, fulfilling his mission. It was Mary and Joseph’s anxiety and fear that made him seem absent.
We can all understand their fear. In moments of crisis or deep need, we can feel as if God is far away, as though he has abandoned us. We call out to him, desperate for his presence, and yet, it can seem as though he is silent. We search and search, wondering, “Where is God in this moment?” But just like Mary and Joseph, we often overlook the truth: God is not far. He is not lost. He is with us, always, dwelling within the very temple of our hearts.
The problem is not God’s absence—it is the noise of our own hearts and minds. Anxiety, fear, and the frantic pace of life drown out the quiet voice of God speaking within us. Like Mary and Joseph, our frantic search blinds us to what has been right before us all along.
Jesus reminds us that we do not need to search for him. His words in the Gospel are not just for Mary and Joseph—they are for us. “Why are you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” The “Father’s house” is not just a building; it is wherever God chooses to dwell. And he has chosen to dwell within each of us. St. Paul tells us, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
This means that no matter how far we feel from God, no matter how lost or abandoned we might think we are, the reality is this: God is already within us. He is closer to us than we are to ourselves. We do not have to frantically search for him, because he has already found us. All we need to do is quiet our hearts, set aside the noise, and listen.
As we reflect on the Holy Family today, let us take comfort in this truth. Mary and Joseph found Jesus not because they searched harder, but because he was exactly where he was meant to be. And we, too, will find God—not through frantic searching, but by remembering where he already is.
As we go forth into the new year, let us practice quieting the frenzy of our hearts. Let us trust that God is never lost to us, but is always present, always near, and always ready to guide us in love. And in that peace, may we, like Mary, treasure these truths in our hearts.