First Sunday After The Epiphany Which Is The Sunday Within The OCTAVES Thereof GOSPEL Luc.2.42 The Saturday Meditation

Luke 2. 42-52 GOSPEL 

When Jesus was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast, and having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents knew it not. And thinking that He was in the company, they came a day’s journey, and sought Him among His kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not finding Him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him. And it came to pass that after three days they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His answers. And seeing Him they wondered. And His mother said to Him: Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. And He said to them: How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business? And they understood not the word that He spoke unto them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. And His mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace with God and men.

Saturday

THE blessed Virgin Marie having lost her sweet son she followed the example of the prophet David who said, when I was in tribulation: I cried onto our Lord, and he heard me. 

She turned her self first: unto her most beloved son, whom though he was her son, she called her Lord, and said unto him, thus: O my Lord, the beloved son of my hart what saw thou in me that thou would lose thy self, and leave me thus afflicted with grief? 

Thou know, O my Lord, the reverence, and love wherewithal this thy humble Mother, and handmaid, bath served thee from the day thee brought the forth in Bethlehem, even unto this preſent day, and that before gave I the suck, and wrapped thee up in such poor clothes as I had, I adored the as my God, & Lord, with as great reverence as I could. 

In there, and other like holy meditations the spent the whole night after she had lost him (or rather he had lost him self,) and having spent the next day in seeking him , among her kindred, and acquaintance, and not finding him, he went back to Jerusalem to see if he were there, and by the way, she would ask all she met, whether they saw not a young lad of twelve years, in a seamless wrought coat, with bright long hair hanging down upon his shoulders after the fashion of the Nazarites, more fair, and beautiful then the sons of men; and these signs were to her like a sharp sword that pierced her very heart, and virginal bowels, and her eyes were turned into fountains of tears. 

The wayfaring people said unto her. 

O lady, we should have been very glad; to have seen such a lovely boy, that we might tell you happy tidings of him, for if he could he like the mother, without doubt there is not, such another child in the world. 

The sacred virgin going forward, when she saw but a bush, she would say, O would to God my son, and my Savior would appear unto me in this bush, as he appeared unto Moses in the desert; he should not need to bid me put off my shoes, for reverence unto him, I would adore him prostrate upon the ground. 

And when the saw a Juniper tree she would say: O my eternal God who did once comfort Elias being weary, with the shade of a Juniper tree; if thou would be pleased now to comfort my afflicted soul, presenting my Paraclete. or comforter. now to my sight. 

And coming near to Jerusalem, she said, O my God as thou did once send a star: to direct the three Kings from the East to adore thy fonn in the ſtable, at Bethleem: foi beſeech thee fend me nowe thy lightro direct mee where my wolfvset ſonne, and redcemer NS is in Ieruſalem, for there I hope he is ; And when ſhee came to Ieruſalem, ſeeking him in euery ftreet, ſhe asked the people whe- ther they ſawe not a boye of twelue .yeares olde with theſe, and thoſe lignes aforeſaide:vnto whõe ſome perchaps anſweared Oladic, yeſterdaie we lawe fuch. a boye, begging bread at ſa dore for Godstake:lince that we ſawe him no more. 

This was ſome co- fortevnto her;hopíg it was true, becauſe the Prophet David said of him, I am poore , anda 1:28. beggar and paraduenture it might be verified in this. 

Others said, O lady this child paſſed this waie , enquiringe for an hoſpitall to lodge in. 

Then this sorrowfl Mother vent from hoſpitall co hoſpitall, and at one of them, they faide vnto her: ladie this child laie this night kere:. 

Ar last she founde him in the Pfal.39. faide of him, the Temple amögſt the Doctors, hearing them and askinge queſtions ſo wiſely, that they ad. mired his wiſedome. 

And hauing founde him the expoftulated with him in loving manner thus: O my ſonde why. didit thou ferue vs ſo :: Thy father, and I haue ſought thec with ſorrowfull bearts. thele thrçe dayes : She tooke him home with her , and kept him ſo much the moro warely, tyll the time came he muſt neede goe from her to doc the will of his father, that is to faie, to prcache the go?pell which was allmoſt twentic yeares after. 

Heere wee are caught howe to feeke Cbrifte, when we have lof bim, by mortall finne.where to finde him to witt in the Temple, making of our ſoules of the Temple the diuell, the Temple of God; by deuout prayers hartie repentance bum humble contrition reftitution and ſatisfaction worthie res ceauing the bleſed Sacrament of the bodye of Chriſte ; And having thus founde him, not to expoſtulate with him for going from thee, ( as our bleſſed ladie might, who loſt him without any fault of hers) but expoſtulate with thy felfe why thou didſt loſe ſuch a Jewell thorough thy owne fault, ſaying: Ò wrech that I ame, why did I loſe my God, the life of my ſoule! my God, and all things as Sainct Frances vled to lay,) for ſo vile, and baſea thinge in compariſon of him, be it what it will;I will neuer doelo moreil will keep him more care- fully while I live, will holde kim Cantic. whom my foss!e loveth, and wil 3.1.4. loole hin no more,

 A Plaine Path-Way To Heaven By Fr.Thomas Hill 1634