Sermon Seeds: Wisdom, Years, Favor

Can you imagine what it must have been like to parent Jesus? From the moment she knew she was pregnant, Mary was expectant with certainty that her child would transform the world, upending the oppressive systems at work, and bring liberation and salvation to the peoples. Her song of praise could also be considered a song of victory with its blatant prophecy. Mary, the prophet, understands the import of the assignment she has received. Mary, the mother, may struggle to reconcile the imagined future of her child and messiah with the young person who still needs parental guidance to navigate the world. Her stunned response to the wisdom and knowledge Jesus demonstrates in the gospel passage could be mistaken for confusion, even though the previous chapter in the Lukan account leaves no doubt that in fact, Mary did know.

In fact, she was not the only one. Luke’s account, perhaps more than any other gospel narrative, illustrates that there were several key characters who recognized Jesus as the Christ, or at least suspected, from the start. As Robert L. Brawley notes, “Luke’s use of sources leads interpreters to emphasize individual episodes, but increasingly, narrative continuity is also accented. Speeches of Gabriel, Elizabeth, Mary, and Zechariah fit together in one story. The context of imperial systems is also overarching.” In addition, the proclamations of Simeon and the Prophet Anna at the time of the presentation of Jesus in the temple further evidence the revelation of Jesus as the Chosen One.

This moment, when Jesus returns to the temple at age twelve, continues the series of revelatory statements. This time, it is not the divine messenger, his mother, or other significant adults who acknowledge his divinity and his mission. Jesus declares his connection to the One who sent him for himself. In some ways, it may be considered a coming of age story. Adolescence, then and now, transitions a child into an adult. That Jesus displays wisdom beyond his years should not be surprising. It takes Mary aback. Joseph was there, in his role as the supportive and mostly silent partner to Mary. 

They had come to celebrate the Passover. As in most feasts, the observance invites the faithful to sacred memory. In this encounter, Mary receives her reminder of who she has been charged to nurture in the world. How could she not have “treasured all these things in her heart?” Further, Jesus knows who he is. This may be the first time that is clear. The biblical narrative is silent from his infancy/toddler years until now, and only Luke seems interested in this story.

One may speculate that it was Mary’s story to tell, and it is told as much from her perspective as that of Jesus. Who else would have circulated the story after knowing the significance and relationship of this experience to the rest of the events of Jesus’ life?  After this extraordinary moment, Jesus returns home and to a relatively normal life as an “obedient” son living with his parents in Nazareth.

Could Jesus have handled this differently? There’s no reason to assume a conflict between being obedient to both the One who sent him and the parents he was entrusted to. Mary and Joseph have demonstrated their faithfulness and submission to the Holy One. Had they been informed that Jesus needed to engage in the temple teaching, there’s no indication they would have objected. Jesus choosing not to consult them then is deliberate and perhaps the point.

The moment foreshadows a lot. On the third day, they are reunited with him. The terror of a lost child could only be exceeded by the grief that Mary experienced at the crucifixion until news of the resurrection spread from the women who went to tend his body at the tomb. Jesus will have many more encounters exchanging perspectives with religious leaders in religious spaces and beyond them. Those who heard him were amazed and astonished by his knowledge and understanding. The events of this revelation connected to his faithful observance of the Passover just as his Passion will be tethered to that remembrance.

This brief glimpse into the adolescence of Jesus illuminates the tension of the years—past, present, and future. Years represent more than the passage of time; they reflect shifts in circumstances. Posted sentinels keep watch over it all. We hold sacred memory, current reality, and promised future together in the most significant moments of our lives. For Mary, I imagined she remembered the angelic invitation to participate in the Christ event and her prophetic song of praise. She recognized the practical reality of her role to nurture the humanity of Jesus and the already tremendous responsibility of mothering an adolescent. She pondered the possibilities of what might be in considering the future. May her perspective provide guidance as we wait, we search, and we ponder.

Worship Ways Liturgical Resources

The Rev. Dr. Cheryl A. Lindsay, Minister for Worship and Theology (lindsayc@ucc.org), also serves a local church pastor, public theologian, and worship scholar-practitioner with a particular interest in the proclamation of the word in gathered communities. You’re invited to share your reflections on this text in the comments on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SermonSeeds.

A Bible study version of this reflection is at Weekly Seeds.