Jan 8 Wed
Why did Jesus live as a carpenter?
The Son of God lived year after year in subjection to a man and a woman in a little town in Galilee and carried out his humble work there.
“It shows us that human existence and all the ordinary activities of men have a divine meaning. Jesus lived in obscurity, but, for us, that period is full of light. It illuminates our days and fills them with meaning, for we are ordinary Christians who lead an ordinary life, just like millions of other people all over the world."
“That was the way Jesus lived thirty years of hidden life. There followed three years of public life, spent among the crowds. People were surprised: "Who is this?" they asked. "Where has he learned these things?" For He was just like them."
We need to discover once again that all our life must be placed in the hands of God as his tool to save the world, and that our souls will grow and mature supernaturally in the exact fulfillment of the obligations of the moment."
It may well be that that humble and hidden task, that silent toil, is the best anvil on which to forge an upright intention. Working for God in an unassuming way, day in and day out, with zeal for souls, not seeking applause, and often not even seeing the divine results of our work: all this helps purify our intention.
Let us consider Jesus, the Word of God, hidden for so many years in a workshop in Nazareth. He is known only to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and to Mary and Joseph. This consideration will lead to a renewed desire on our part to stay near to him, and to imitate his hidden life at Nazareth, which was so supernaturally fruitful.
“I dream - and the dream has come true - of multitudes of God's children, sanctifying themselves as ordinary citizens, sharing the ambitions and endeavors of their colleagues and friends. I want to shout to them about this divine truth: if you are there in the middle of ordinary life, it doesn't mean Christ has forgotten about you or hasn't called you. He has invited you to stay among the activities and concerns of the world. He wants you to know that your human vocation, your profession, and your talents, are not omitted from his divine plans. He has sanctified them and made them a most acceptable offering to his Father."
Jesus' hidden life speaks to us of silent dedication. It teaches us to pour out our love for God into all the ordinary things of life, and to keep rectifying our intention. For “work, all work, bears witness to the dignity of man, to his dominion over creation. It is an opportunity to develop one's personality. It is a bond of union with others, the way to support one's family, a means of aiding in the improvement of the society in which we live and in the progress of all humanity."
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