"Come after Me": Foots steps of Our Lord Jesus Christ
As I was searching through the scholars views and perspectives on history of Jesus Christ, I came across some of the quotes of Pope Emiritus. Benedict XVI. They are not directly related to the topic at hand, some of them may be, however, I liked them, they reflect profound blend of philosophy, personal convictions, and theology. Very useful quotes. so I include them here as an introduction. Pope Emiritus. Benedict XVI is a great scholar of our times, and His reign reflected the scholarship of a student of Holy Spirit. Through Him the whole Church was in Holy Spirit's college. The fruitful sign of his reign was faith in knowledge and in practice, as it was demonstrated in the sign of year of faith, which is a gift of Holy Spirit. His life continuously reflects the divine wisdom and understanding, which is demonstrated through His humility. He is my favorite scholar, I am blessed to live during his life time. I have bought many of his books for my book collection. I will read them after I have completed the books of Pope John Paul II. I have finished reading some of his books, yet to read many more.
“In the course of my intellectual life I experienced very acutely the problem of whether it isn't actually presumptuous to say that we can know the truth - in the face of all our limitations. I also asked myself to what extent it might not be better to suppress this category. In pursuing this question, however, I was able to observe and also to grasp that relinquishing truth doesn't solve anything but, on the contrary, leads to the tyranny of caprice. In that case, the only thing that can remain is really what we decide on and can replace at will. Man is degraded if he can't know truth, if everything, in the final analysis, is just the product of an individual or collective decision.
In this way it became clear to me how important it is that we don't lose the concept of truth, in spite of the menaces and perils that it doubtless carries with it. It has to remain as a central category. As a demand on us that doesn't give us rights but requires, on the contrary, our humility and our obedience and can lead us to the common path.”
― Pope Benedict XVI
Mary is a woman who loves. How could it be otherwise? As a believer who in faith thinks with God's thoughts and wills with God's will, she cannot fail to be a woman who loves. We sense this in her quiet gestures, as recounted by the infancy narratives in the Gospel. We see it in the delicacy with which she recognizes the need of the spouses at Cana and makes it known to Jesus. We see it in the humility with which she recedes into the background during Jesus' public life, knowing that the Son must establish a new family and that the Mother's hour will come only with the Cross, which will be Jesus' true hour (cf. Jn 2:4; 13:1). When the disciples flee, Mary will remain beneath the Cross (cf. Jn 19:25-27); later, at the hour of Pentecost, it will be they who gather around her as they wait for the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:14).”
― Pope Benedict XVI, God Is Love--Deus Caritas Est: Encyclical Letter― Pope Benedict XVI, The Apostles: The Origin of the Church and Their Co-Workers
The glory of God is the living man, but the life of man is the vision of God', says St. Irenaeus, getting to the heart of what happens when man meets God on the mountain in the wilderness. Ultimately, it is the very life of man, man himself as living righteously, that is the true worship of God, but life only becomes real life when it receives its form from looking toward God.”
― Pope Benedict XVI, The Spirit of the Liturgy
“Knowing is not simply a material act, since the object that is known always conceals something beyond the empirical datum. All our knowledge, even the most simple, is always a minor miracle, since it can never be fully explained by the material instruments that we apply to it. In every truth there is something more than we would have expected, in the love that we receive there is always an element that surprises us.”
― Pope Benedict XVI, Charity in Truth: Caritas in Veritate
My reflections on Jesus's childhood revolve around Holy Family life and travels. I see the family has been traveling from place to place to protect Jesus. When a family has an intention to protect their child from the knowledge of a ruler, imagine the status of the family. I could visualize the permanent anxiety of Mary and Joseph while running their family life. Although, Joseph selected the town of Nazerath to settle down in protecting Jesus, which is not a good town for any reputation from the history background, I really think, Mary and Joseph underwent a great agony in raising Jesus throughout their life. Their life was a crucified life not just in a mystical sense of redemption, but also in the physical sense of living a life under fear, anxiety, and uncertainty all the time, yet they lived a relentless life of faith. This very reason, when Jesus was lost in the temple, they were almost panicked, as Jesus came to the limelight of the temple scholars. It may be the fear of protection that made Mary to ask Jesus , why He made this to them. I really witness the side of Joseph and Mary's life in bringing up Jesus. It is my opinion for this reason, Jesus life may not have been recorded any where until He was 30 years old, as He was in the protection of Mary and Joseph.
While there were many natural perceived dangers for Jesus from the rulers, Joseph and Mary was leading a life on hope and faith just trusting God for their day today life. They lived for Jesus by dedicating their life in bringing up Jesus. They lived a discerning life which had total surrender to the will of God. Joseph and Mary did not place any restriction on Jesus growth in any way by their protection. But they were leading a pondering reflective life, knowing the purpose of Jesus life. They lived the redemptive life for the world redemption, as they both lived a immaculate life by letting and subjecting to the interventions of Holy Spirit in their life. In Mary's immaculate conception, in Jesus incarnation, there was a mystical recreation of Triune God's image in human recreation. This is why scripture calls Jesus as second Adam. Jesus being the Son of God in Him Father, Son, and Holy Spirit image was restored into the world to bring salvation among all creations.
Next, I understand St. Joseph's life more deeply now than ever, as I reflect on this history. I would like to reflect the context of the Holy Family before moving forward. St. Joseph was known as a righteous person, a man of justice by the society where ever he lived, even before marrying Mary. He was a very good man of a society. He was a hard worker and he was doing carpentry related trades and works of his time. He was the provider of the household. He was also spiritually well rooted, not just in following his religion but also in a real practical faith. I admire his life faith very deeply and I would like to highlight it here in few unskilled lines. His faith seems to have transformed more than religious obligations. He had a personal walk with Heavenly Father. I understand this from the evidences of his life and the revelations he received from heaven through Angels and His obedience to the divine instructions. I believe he was leading a life of discerning life, he must have. I am very sure in my Spirit about this, because he received divine guidance time to time in his discernment in relation with leading his family. He was a man of a discernment and his life was full of discernment from marriage till his death. He lived practically for Jesus his action, goal, and purpose of life was for the protection of Jesus. He was a loving father to Jesus that Jesus spend His majority of the Childhood and early adolescent, if not until Jesus was thirty years old, in St. Joseph's guidance, there is no mention of Joseph year of death in the scripture. To the wedding of Canaan, Jesus went with His mother, St. Joseph was not there. We know, then St. Joseph was not alive, because the wedding feasts are attended with family. Although there is only few sentences written about St,. Joseph in the Bible, they are profound and describe his life and personal attributes of St. Joseph profoundly. I see St. Joseph has been leading a discerning life, which means he subjected his entire life to the will of God. Practical faith goes beyond just following the religion and tradition, but also having a practical faith one which is to apply faith in ones personal life, which is highly evident in St. Joseph life.
Something touched me very profoundly, when all the well to do boys went to study in Jerusalem temple, It would have been very painful for St. Joseph to see His son very brilliant, who could challenge the scholars at the temple at the age of 12, yet he had to bring him home. Naturally, this situation is a painful reality for the parents. Not just the economical status could have prevented Jesus to undergo higher education, but also his protection of Jesus life was the main goal of the family. Unless, St. Joseph had divine revelation of the events of Jesus life, no economical burden would have stopped St. Joseph in providing higher education for Jesus, as he was a able provider. I am moved very much with the whole Jerusalem trip at the age of 12 and all the events happened at the temple. Naturally the parents were at joy in finding Jesus, above that they also found Him very brilliant, which would have brought lots and lots of Joy to the parents. But what went on in the hearts of discerning parents could not be imagined, they had a revelation and a profound experience.
Jesus was a brilliant scholar even in the childhood, which we can see in the events of temple later we can see in his teachings. Jesus was obedient to the parents. He grew in knowledge and wisdom and revealed them as He was growing up. Mary and Joseph were the first witness to His good news to the world. They were His primary disciples and they both lived a discerning life. They lived a discerning mystical and natural life. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived a model of new creation of family, a redemptive family, which brought the salvation to the world.
Comments
Post a Comment