‘And when they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you thus dealt with us? Behold, your father and I sought you sorrowing.” '

Once again His parents were astonished. Firstly to see Him standing in the crowd listening to the great Rabbis, secondly that He appeared to be oblivious of the fact that He had been left behind, and thirdly because they just could not understand why He had been so inconsiderate. This time their amazement was not that of pleasure. And His mother asked Him sternly why He had behaved like this. Did He not realise that they had been looking for Him and had been very worried? The fact that Mary asked Him confirms that He was in a unique position with regard to His mother. Normally the father would take the lead.

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