The Life of the Child Jesus in Egypt and in Nazareth!

Christmas Novena – Day 8

Friday, December 23, 2023

We read about events that surround the birth of Jesus and his public ministry. But what about those years in which Jesus grew up? 

Those years remain hidden, and Jesus grew up in complete anonymity. 

However, we are not completely clueless about those ‘hidden’ years. 

The unknown has to be approached and understood from what is known. 

Knowing who Jesus evolved into, it is not all that hard for us to figure out how he must have been engaged in active preparation ahead of his public ministry. 

Pope Paul VI, when he visited Nazareth in 1964, explained the mystery of the hidden years of Jesus.

“First, we learn from its silence. If only we could once again appreciate its great value. We need this wonderful state of mind, beset as we are by the cacophony of strident protests and conflicting claims so characteristic of these turbulent times. The silence of Nazareth should teach us how to meditate in peace and quiet, to reflect on the deeply spiritual, and to be open to the voice of God’s inner wisdom and the counsel of his true teachers. Second, Nazareth serve[s] as a model of what the family should be. May it show us the family’s holy and enduring character and exemplify its basic function in society – the perfect setting for rearing children – and for this, there is no substitute. Finally, in Nazareth, the home of a craftsman’s son, we learn about work and the discipline it entails. I would remind everyone that work has its own dignity.”

The Lord was hidden from public eyes so that we might understand what prospered in the hidden was incredibly rich to profit our salvation. 

The Lord was born into poverty, lived his life as a refugee, and grew up in total obscurity.

To what has not the Lord lowered Himself for the love of us! Come, let us adore Him!

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar