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The boy Jesus was focused on the things of God, so much so that he even overlooked his parental ties. He was not distracted. Biologically, distraction seems to contribute to a diminished spirituality and is even idolatrous in a way. When we are distracted our brains are disordered, not governed by the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain most active in spiritual experience (Daniel Amen, Change the Brain: Change Your Life, pp. 116-117). Distracted people are not focused on God, like Jesus was. Distracted lives are confused, not able to find much meaning, according to the famed German novelist Johann von Goethe: "A distracted existence leads us to no goal." Jesus gets us back to lives with a meaning and a goal, precisely in the focus on God. Early seventeenth-century French Catholic bishop Saint Francis de Sales describes this dynamic: "If the heart wanders or is distracted... replace it tenderly in its Master's presence."
It is the presence of God that gives our lives focus and meaning. That's why it was so important for the boy Jesus to remain in the temple with the Father. Devoting ourselves more single mindedly to our Lord can bring more focus and meaning to our lives too.
It is the presence of God that gives our lives focus and meaning. That's why it was so important for the boy Jesus to remain in the temple with the Father. Devoting ourselves more single mindedly to our Lord can bring more focus and meaning to our lives too.
