A Heart That Holds What It Doesn’t Understand

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I want you to imagine this scene for a moment. Mary and Joseph are returning from Jerusalem with a large group of relatives and friends. It’s a caravan. Everyone assumes Jesus is somewhere among the cousins.

Then evening comes. Just imagine how it might have gone down.  Joseph randomly asks, “Have you seen Jesus?” Mary says, “I thought He was with you.” Joseph replies, “No, I thought He was with you.” At that moment, every parent in history understands exactly what happened next. Panic! Running from relative to relative. “Have you seen Jesus?”, “No.”, “How about you?”, “No.”

For three days they search. Three whole days. Can you imagine the conversations? The worry? The fear? The sleepless nights? The tears Mary must’ve shed. And when they finally find Him in the Temple, Mary says something that sounds incredibly human: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” I love that line because it reminds us that Mary is such a real mother with a real heart. Yet Jesus gives an answer they do not understand. “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

Luke tells us plainly: “They did not understand what He said to them.” And then comes one of the most beautiful descriptions of Mary in all of Scripture: “His mother kept all these things in her heart.” That is why today we celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Not because Mary understood everything. But because she trusted God even when she didn’t.

And honestly, that is where many of us live. We understand God’s presence when prayers are answered. We understand God’s goodness when life is going well. We understand God’s plan when everything makes sense. But what about when it doesn’t? What about the diagnosis we didn’t expect? The prayer that seems unanswered? The relationship that falls apart? The calling that feels confusing? The suffering that refuses to leave? Most of us want explanations. Mary teaches us something deeper than explanations. She teaches us trust. Notice that she doesn’t demand answers from God every step of the way. She carries mysteries in her heart. She reflects. She prays. She waits.

The Immaculate Heart is not simply a heart that is pure. It is a heart that remains open to God even in confusion. And maybe that is what we need today. Because faith is not having every answer. Faith is staying close to God when the answers haven’t arrived yet.

Years later, Mary would stand at the foot of the Cross. Once again, things would make no sense. Once again, she would have to trust. The heart that learned to treasure mysteries in Nazareth became the heart strong enough to stand beneath Calvary.

Prayer: Mary, Mother of Jesus, teach me to keep God’s mysteries in my heart. When life is confusing, help me trust. When prayers seem unanswered, help me remain faithful. Give me a heart like yours – quiet, courageous, and open to God. May I learn to follow Jesus not only when I understand, but also when I don’t. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko