Why? – Reflections From My Rocking Chair

“Son, why have you done this to us?” (Luke 2:48)

Why? While looking for inspiration for this reflection, I Googled “asking why” and found 43 million sites (No kidding!) with advice from businessmen, doctors, psychologists, architects, educators, and parenting experts. But I wasn’t looking for opinions or advice. I wanted to understand the story in Luke 2 that made Mary ask, “Why?” So, I opened my Bible and read the story of the Holy Family’s journey to Jerusalem for Passover. Jesus was a young man of 12 and had celebrated the annual festival with his family and relatives; but in the busy preparations for the journey home to Nazareth, his parents didn’t realize that he had not joined the caravan. Scripture doesn’t describe their frenzied search for him or how they retraced their steps through the streets of the city, asking every person they met, “Have you seen our son?” He was only 12. Where could he be? Three long days they searched, constantly praying that he was safe. When they finally found him in the temple, he was “sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:46-47). His mother’s first question was, “Why?” “Son, why have you done this to us?” (Luke 2:48) Being the good mother that she was, I’m sure she had a lot more she wanted to say to him! But his strange reply surprised his weary parents. “’Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them” (Luke 2:49-50).

Why? Mary had wanted to ask that question so many times before. Ever since the angel had greeted her with the title, “Full of Grace,” she had seen and heard amazing things about her precious child. First it was her cousin, Elizabeth, then the shepherds in Bethlehem and the song of the angels, then the magi with their extravagant gifts, Simeon and Anna in the temple, and now the boy, himself. Why? Mary didn’t understand, but she “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” (Luke 2:19) as she held on tightly to her faith in God. “The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him” (Luke 1:49-50). She was very young when she first proclaimed those words, but they came from her heart, and she never stopped trusting in the goodness and mercy of God. She would need that powerful faith many more times in her life.

Often, when we ask “why,” we are actually questioning the providence and compassion of God. It wasn’t like that for Mary. She only wanted to understand, but sometimes she just had to trust. Her resolute faith is a shining example for all of us who have been so slow to take to heart God’s promise that “all things work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28).