2023/12/18

122. How Is It That You Sought Me?

The wise men from the east, guided by the star, and the shepherds, guided by an angel, found the Infant Jesus laid in a manger in Bethlehem. Similarly, Jesus' parents, on their way back from travelling to Jerusalem for the Passover, lost sight of the twelve-year-old Jesus who was with them and found him in the temple (cf. Luke 2:41-51). At this point, Jesus said to his parents, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49). Jesus attached special significance to his presence in the temple. 

After coming of age and entering public life, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for the Passover. And when he saw those doing business in the temple, he drove them away, saying, "[Y]ou shall not make my Father's house a house of trade" (John 2:16). When those who opposed this asked for a sign, he said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). John's Gospel explains these words of Jesus as "But he spoke of the temple of his body" (John 2:21).

From this, we can see that the 'Father's house' is the 'temple,' and the temple is the body of Jesus, i.e. the Eucharist. In the scene of the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus himself says: "Take, eat; this is my body" (Matthew 26:26). Furthermore, Revelation says: "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb" (Revelation 21:22). 

The believers now do not look for Jesus. Jesus is present in the Eucharist, which is born in the Mass. At the last supper, Peter the Apostle asked Jesus, "Lord, where are you going?" and Jesus answered, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward" (John 13:36). This word of Jesus is now directed to the believers who receive the Eucharist. That is because by taking and eating the body of Christ, they will demonstrate Jesus' words, "you shall follow afterward." So, at the Mass, all believers, looking at the Eucharist, must say first, "You are the Christ, the Son of God." That is because they will witness the birth of the Lord and, at the same time, experience the death of the Lord. 

Maria K. M.