It is no wonder that Mary was frantic with worry when Jesus was missing on their return from his first Passover in Jerusalem – for ordinarily a Jewish boy of 12 would have had some independence and could be relied on to look after himself on such an occasion.  And it was then that another pain also gripped her as she realised for the first time that, close though the two of them were, and would ever be, she would have to let him go to do the will of God.  “…your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety”, she said.  And he replied, “Why were you searching for me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (NRSV, Luke 2:48,49).

So the years passed but the shadow remained because Mary knew that every year brought nearer that terrible thing which the unknown future held in store.  At the age of 30 Jesus left home and, so far as we know, returned but once, and that was to preach to the people of Nazareth with whom he had been brought up.  But so incensed were they with what he said, that they surrounded him and marched him away to throw him off the hill-top.  And Mary, as she followed, must have felt the old fear gripping her heart like an icy hand as she hoped against hope that this was not how it was all going to end.