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MEDITATION FOR JANUARY 24
THE LABOR OF JESUS IN HIS HIDDEN LIFE
“He was subject to them” (Luke 2, 51).
First Prelude: Picture the little house of Nazareth, and ponder upon the manner in which our Divine Saviour labored.
Second Prelude: O Lord, let me realize from Thy example, with what zeal I shall perform my work and the sentiments whereby I may sanctify it.
FIRST POINT
JESUS LOVES AND PERFORMS LABOR
Since our Divine Saviour chose abject poverty as His earthly portion, He selected for Himself common and toilsome manual labor, befitting the poor. His divine hands, which hold heaven and earth, were employed in the hard work of a very ordinary occupation. His dwelling was small, inconvenient and void of many necessaries of life. In this indigent condition and extreme deprivation, “The child grew and waxed strong” (Luke 2, 40). For what mission was He growing up, and for what work did He wax strong? Primarily, for the hard work of a carpenter, to which, according to the Will of His heavenly Father, He was to subject Himself to His thirtieth year, to sanctify and ennoble labor, which is the groundwork of human existence.
What fruitful source of encouragement and consolation this truth constitutes for us, who were born to labor and, according to divine ordinance, “in the sweat of our face, to earn our bread”! Our Saviour worked to exhaustion, in order to earn a livelihood by a simple trade. In all truth, He could exclaim with the psalmist: “I am poor, and in labors from my youth” (Ps. 87, 16). Who can reasonably be ashamed of labor, or complain of its necessity? There are, accordingly, as we see from the example of Jesus, no menial occupations! To a soul loving God truly, every work is welcome, if she but knows that it conforms to His Will. Only the spirit of the world, which seeks honor and esteem, discriminates between honorable and dishonorable work. How foolish would religious be, if, infected by this spirit, they sought offices of preferment! Could they still lay claim to the title, spouse of the poor carpenter’s Son of Nazareth, Who was engaged in the commonest and most inconspicuous work? Divine Saviour, who can gauge the love and condescension which impelled Thee to instill into our hearts, by the force of Thy adorable example, love for this penance which God has imposed upon us! I will perform all my works, however strenuous, in the spirit of expiation, and in intimate union with Thy sentiments.
Do I endeavor to utilize every moment of my time according to the prescription of the Holy Rule, and during work, often direct my thoughts to the example which my Divine Saviour gave me in Nazareth?
SECOND POINT
HOW WE MUST SANCTIFY OUR WORK, ACCORDING TO THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS
The mode of life of the generality of men, especially religious, closely resembles the life of our Divine Saviour in the house of Nazareth. They devote the greater part of the day to household duties, to earning a livelihood in various avocations, and lead a life hidden from the world. Let us learn from our Divine Model, how to sanctify this life, to render it of surpassing value and merit in the sight of God.
Although Jesus was employed in exterior duties, He maintained constant union in prayer with His heavenly Father; His mind’s eye was always focused on His Father’s pleasure. All hardships of labor and changing conditions attendant upon it, were incitements to praise and glorify His Father in heaven. He offered Himself incessantly in sacrifice; He prayed unremittingly for us poor sinners: His whole longing was directed to the glorification of the name of Him Who sent Him. From His sublime sentiments flowed the priceless value and infinite merits of His deeds. Not a single action of the Son of God was without merit, as is the case so often with men.
O my Saviour, in earthly work, Thou didst descend to the level of men, but in the manner of performing it, Thou didst immeasurably surpass them. All Thy works, even the most insignificant were holy, admirable and of priceless worth. What defects do I discover in my works, O my Saviour, when I compare them with Thine! If I subtract from my supposedly good works, purely natural motives, all that is done through routine or inclination, all that has an ignoble alloy, what will remain? Alas, how much merit have I lost, since I made so slight endeavor to purify my intentions, and to enter into Thy motives?
Affections: How trifling, O Jesus, according to worldly standards, was the labor of Thy youth in the little workshop at Nazareth! How great was it, however, in the sight of the heavenly Father, and to the eyes of faith of all who ponder upon Thy unobtrusive activity! Deeply touched by contemplation of the hard labor which Thou, O Jesus, as a carpenter didst perform in the sweat of Thy face, my will, urged by Thy example, must make the resolution to imitate Thee, and joyfully to bear the burden and heat of the day. Teach me, O Lord, to be great in the eyes of Thy heavenly Father by the purity and sublimity of my intentions; that I may achieve the aim towards which my works should tend.
Resolution: In all my actions, I will unite myself with my Divine Model.
Spiritual Bouquet: “He did all things well.”
Prayer: “O Jesus, living in Mary,”
“He was subject to them” (Luke 2, 51).
First Prelude: Picture the little house of Nazareth, and ponder upon the manner in which our Divine Saviour labored.
Second Prelude: O Lord, let me realize from Thy example, with what zeal I shall perform my work and the sentiments whereby I may sanctify it.
FIRST POINT
JESUS LOVES AND PERFORMS LABOR
Since our Divine Saviour chose abject poverty as His earthly portion, He selected for Himself common and toilsome manual labor, befitting the poor. His divine hands, which hold heaven and earth, were employed in the hard work of a very ordinary occupation. His dwelling was small, inconvenient and void of many necessaries of life. In this indigent condition and extreme deprivation, “The child grew and waxed strong” (Luke 2, 40). For what mission was He growing up, and for what work did He wax strong? Primarily, for the hard work of a carpenter, to which, according to the Will of His heavenly Father, He was to subject Himself to His thirtieth year, to sanctify and ennoble labor, which is the groundwork of human existence.
What fruitful source of encouragement and consolation this truth constitutes for us, who were born to labor and, according to divine ordinance, “in the sweat of our face, to earn our bread”! Our Saviour worked to exhaustion, in order to earn a livelihood by a simple trade. In all truth, He could exclaim with the psalmist: “I am poor, and in labors from my youth” (Ps. 87, 16). Who can reasonably be ashamed of labor, or complain of its necessity? There are, accordingly, as we see from the example of Jesus, no menial occupations! To a soul loving God truly, every work is welcome, if she but knows that it conforms to His Will. Only the spirit of the world, which seeks honor and esteem, discriminates between honorable and dishonorable work. How foolish would religious be, if, infected by this spirit, they sought offices of preferment! Could they still lay claim to the title, spouse of the poor carpenter’s Son of Nazareth, Who was engaged in the commonest and most inconspicuous work? Divine Saviour, who can gauge the love and condescension which impelled Thee to instill into our hearts, by the force of Thy adorable example, love for this penance which God has imposed upon us! I will perform all my works, however strenuous, in the spirit of expiation, and in intimate union with Thy sentiments.
Do I endeavor to utilize every moment of my time according to the prescription of the Holy Rule, and during work, often direct my thoughts to the example which my Divine Saviour gave me in Nazareth?
SECOND POINT
HOW WE MUST SANCTIFY OUR WORK, ACCORDING TO THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS
The mode of life of the generality of men, especially religious, closely resembles the life of our Divine Saviour in the house of Nazareth. They devote the greater part of the day to household duties, to earning a livelihood in various avocations, and lead a life hidden from the world. Let us learn from our Divine Model, how to sanctify this life, to render it of surpassing value and merit in the sight of God.
Although Jesus was employed in exterior duties, He maintained constant union in prayer with His heavenly Father; His mind’s eye was always focused on His Father’s pleasure. All hardships of labor and changing conditions attendant upon it, were incitements to praise and glorify His Father in heaven. He offered Himself incessantly in sacrifice; He prayed unremittingly for us poor sinners: His whole longing was directed to the glorification of the name of Him Who sent Him. From His sublime sentiments flowed the priceless value and infinite merits of His deeds. Not a single action of the Son of God was without merit, as is the case so often with men.
O my Saviour, in earthly work, Thou didst descend to the level of men, but in the manner of performing it, Thou didst immeasurably surpass them. All Thy works, even the most insignificant were holy, admirable and of priceless worth. What defects do I discover in my works, O my Saviour, when I compare them with Thine! If I subtract from my supposedly good works, purely natural motives, all that is done through routine or inclination, all that has an ignoble alloy, what will remain? Alas, how much merit have I lost, since I made so slight endeavor to purify my intentions, and to enter into Thy motives?
Affections: How trifling, O Jesus, according to worldly standards, was the labor of Thy youth in the little workshop at Nazareth! How great was it, however, in the sight of the heavenly Father, and to the eyes of faith of all who ponder upon Thy unobtrusive activity! Deeply touched by contemplation of the hard labor which Thou, O Jesus, as a carpenter didst perform in the sweat of Thy face, my will, urged by Thy example, must make the resolution to imitate Thee, and joyfully to bear the burden and heat of the day. Teach me, O Lord, to be great in the eyes of Thy heavenly Father by the purity and sublimity of my intentions; that I may achieve the aim towards which my works should tend.
Resolution: In all my actions, I will unite myself with my Divine Model.
Spiritual Bouquet: “He did all things well.”
Prayer: “O Jesus, living in Mary,”
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