"some fragments of the lesson of Nazareth"

"And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them."  ~Lk 2:51

"We cannot depart without recalling briefly and fleetingly some fragments of the lesson of Nazareth...  Now we hear its echo reverberating in the souls of men of our century.  It seems to tell us:  blessed are we, if in poverty of spirit we learn to free ourselves from false confidence in material things and to place our chief desires in spiritual and religious goods, treating the poor with respect and love as brothers and living images of Christ.

"Blessed are we, if, having acquired the meekness of the strong, we learn to renounce the deadly power of hate and vengeance, and have the wisdom to exalt above the fear of armed force the generosity of forgiveness, alliance in freedom and work, and conquest through goodness and peace.

"Blessed are we, if we do not make egoism the guiding criterion of our life, nor pleasure its purpose, but learn rather to discover in sobriety our strength; in pain a source of redemption, in sacrifice the very summit of greatness.

"Blessed are we, if we prefer to be the oppressed rather than the oppressors, and constantly hunger for the progress of justice.

"Blessed are we, if for the Kingdom of God in time and beyond time we learn to pardon and persevere, to work and to serve, to suffer, and to love.

"We shall never be deceived.

"In such accents do we seem to hear His voice today.  Then, it was stronger, sweeter, and more awe-inspiring.  But as we try to recapture some echo of the Master's words, we seem to be won over as His disciples and to be genuinely filled with new wisdom and fresh courage."

~Pope Paul VI, Reflections at Nazareth, 1/5/64

Dear Lord Jesus, living in humble obedience to Your Mother Mary and Your foster-father St. Joseph in Nazareth, You show us how to live the Beatitudes even before preaching them (Mt 5:1-11).  Fill us with "new wisdom and fresh courage" that we may find true blessedness in Your law of love and Your gospel of peace.  Amen.

P.S.  Ave Maria!  Dear Friends, this reflection by Pope Paul VI is a powerful one well-worth reading.  I make a point of re-reading and pondering it anew every year around this time.  I promise you that you will not be disappointed by it!