Astounded
Verse 47 literally reads: They were astounded – the Greek verb is exìstemi, meaning, “I exit, I go away; I degenerate; I walk away from a truth that I do not accept; I am confused in the face of a prodigy; I become crazy” - all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. The verb exìstemi perfectly describes the desperation of the associative mind, so sure of its intellectual righteousness, its unassailable, winning theoretical framework which unexpectedly finds itself childish, trivial, and fragile in the face of a superior wisdom and without escape routes to ensure its victory given its limited and predictable processes. It is the verb conjugated/thought by the human mind when it confronts something unknown, prophetic, new, innovative and wise but which at the same time cannot be sold, bought, controlled or piloted. It is the verb used by the mighty, the academic scholars, the enlightened ones with reference to dissidents, those who think differently, not observant, mainstream, or subservient, persons who are classifed as dangerous and with whom any possibility of dialogue is rejected.
When he was twelve, Jesus introduced Himself to the most powerful of the temple’s scholars and sages, the representatives and secretaries of Biblical truth. Instead of embracing the divine child, sharing with Him divine wisdom and the secrets of secrets, and praising God for so much grace and wonderful beauty, they take Him for a crazy person and consider it impossible to converse and to share with Him.
Even Mary, for her part, did not understand what Jesus said in the temple that day. She kept all those things in her heart and meditated, meditated and let them sink in, without judging and accusing, without interfering, without doubting or thinking badly about God and life. Mary is the supreme master of meditation, for she is always open and available to God's novelties, ready to intelligently serve the Lord’s most amazing and unexpected proposals. Those who do not meditate cannot be open to God's novelties and will always think badly of something or someone.