And the boy who sat among the wise men heard that some one wept, and he knew that it was his mother. Then he rose and came over to her, and the father and mother took him between them and went from the Temple with him.
But as the mother continued to weep, the child asked: “Why weepest thou? I came to thee as soon as I heard thy voice.”
“Should I not weep?” said the mother. “I believed that thou wert lost to me.”
They went out from the city and darkness came on, and all the while the mother wept.
“Why weepest thou?” asked the child. “I did not know that the day was spent. I thought it was still morning, and I came to thee as soon as I heard thy voice.”
“Should I not weep?” said the mother. “I have sought for thee all day long. I believed that thou wert lost to me.”
They walked the whole night, and the mother wept all the while.
When day began to dawn, the child said: “Why dost thou weep? I have not sought mine own glory, but God has let me perform miracles because He wanted to help the three poor creatures. As soon as I heard thy voice, I came to thee.”
“My son,” replied the mother. “I weep because thou art none the less lost to me. Thou wilt never more belong to me. Henceforth thy life ambition shall be righteousness; thy longing, Paradise; and thy love shall embrace all the poor human beings who people this earth.”