Sunday March 20, 2022

Do not despise our "Nazareth"

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He (Joseph) went to settle in a city called Nazareth. This was so that the word of the prophets came true : "He will be called a Nazarene." Matthew 2:23

Have you ever noticed that between the movement of Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, at the age of 12, and the beginning of his public ministry, in his thirties, we know almost nothing of his life as a teenager, then of young adult ?

If some people fantasize about a "hidden life" made up of journeys to distant lands, the reality of these "shadow years" is probably less flashy. Jesus probably grew up in Nazareth, where he trained in the same trade, carpenter, as his earthly father, a trade which he then practiced. He also benefited from a religious education like any young Jewish man of his time.

Far from being a parenthesis devoid of interest, this period of anonymity is of crucial importance for him, but also for us. As Jean-Baptiste Bienvenu (Author) points out, "The three years of the public ministry of the Savior can only be understood in the light of the decades of his hidden life. Before being the Messiah on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus was first the rooted of Nazareth, the resident of a small provincial town without ambition..."

In each of our lives there is a "Nazareth": this privileged place and time to form us, to root ourselves in our identity in Christ, to discern our reason for being..., in the shadow of looks. Great can be the temptation to want to press the "fast forward" button to "activate" without waiting for our call. Now, in the same way that Jesus knew how to bide his time, we too – his disciples – must welcome these seasons of preparation ; a necessary condition for a healthy future public ministry.

In our time, that of social networks, marked by a frantic race for visibility and influence, it is crucial to understand that we are seen by God, even in the privacy of our room. This is the privileged place to let ourselves be "influenced", molded by him and build a relationship of intimacy with him. Let's not despise our "Nazareth": an underestimated "treasure" awaits us there !

Listen the voice of God

Take the time to listen to what God wants to say. Let the Holy Spirit work in you and mold you in his image.

Praying is simple. Speak to God as you would your closest friend. God loves you and he can hear everything. Here is an example of a prayer : "Father, I ask your forgiveness when I am tempted to despise my "Nazareth", this privileged place and time where you wish to meet me and train me. Make me grow in patience and teach me to to see your extraordinary action, in the ordinary of my daily life. Amen."

Praise God

Let's praise the Lord together : "Lord, you show me the way, even in the smallest things of my daily life. Your hidden earthly life gives me hope that my life can also bear good fruit, in your time."

Act today

Listen to your heart and make your decision today. Pray with me : “Lord, I decide today to stop complaining openly or grumbling inwardly, when things are not going fast enough for my liking. I choose to fully live this time of preparation in your sole presence."

Honor the Lord

Our journey for the day ends. Let us pray together to honor our God.

"Lord, I thank you for you use all the seasons of my life and make everything beautiful in its time. Yours is the reign, the power and the glory, amen !"

Joseph Gotte

Source (The Thought of the Day)