The Hidden Life in Nazareth

WHEN THE BOY JESUS RETURNED to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph after the Finding in the Temple, a party was given in His honor by thirty-three of His young friends and relatives, who later became His disciples. The banquet table was decorated with wreaths made of ears of corn and vine foliage, and in front of each child were bunches of grapes and bread rolls. During the meal, young Jesus told His companions a beautiful story about a wedding at which water would be changed into wine and indifferent guests into faithful friends, and then about another kind of wedding at which wine would be changed into blood and bread into flesh as a living bond of love until the end of the world. At the time the boys did not understand what He meant. He also told His young cousin Nathanael that one day He would attend his wedding. Henceforth Jesus was the acknowledged leader of these boys, and He spent much time with them, sitting and talking with them or accompanying them on walks in the country, and all the time teaching



SPEAKING OF THE HIDDEN LIFE, THE BLESSED VIRGIN SAID TO ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN:

"As the Gospel says, my Son was subject to His parents, and He acted like other children until He grew up. Nothing unclean ever touched Him, nor was the least disorder ever seen in His hair: When He grew older, He was constantly in prayer: His features and His words were so wonderful and so pleasing that many persons when in trouble used to say: 'Let us go to Mary's Son---He will console us!' As He grew in age, He worked with His hands, and He talked with us so inspiringly about God that we were continually filled with indescribable joy. And when we were in fear; in poverty, and in trouble, He did not produce gold and silver for us, but urged us to be patient, and we were marvelously protected. What we needed was sometimes given to us by compassionate and devout persons, and sometimes came from our work, so that we had what we needed to live on, but nothing superfluous, for we sought only to serve God. At home, with friends who visited us, He talked familiarly about the Law of God and its meanings and types. He also openly disputed with learned men, so that they were astonished and used to say, 'Joseph's Son instructs the Scribes---there is a great spirit in Him!'

"He was also so obedient that when Joseph said to Him: 'Do this' or 'Do that,' He did it at once, for He concealed the power of His Divinity in such a way that it could only be perceived by myself and at times by Joseph. Very often we saw Him surrounded by a wonderful light and heard Angels' voices singing over Him. We also observed that unclean spirits, which could not be cast out by official exorcists, fled at the sight of my Son'S presence. Keep this always in your memory, my daughter, and offer sincere thanks to God that He chose to reveal His childhood to others through you."


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