Page:Beautifulpearlso00oreirich.djvu/185

 and spoke  of  Him  to  all  that  looked  for  the  redemption  of Israel."

The ceremony  of  Purification  and  Presentation  ended,  Mary  and Joseph were  not  tempted,  by  this  extraordinary  occurrence  in  the temple, to  remain  in  Jerusalem,  and  expose  their  Treasure  to  new perils by  attracting  to  Him  the  attention  even  of  the  devout  among the citizens. They hastened  back  to  Galilee,  and  buried  themselves with  ail  their  hopes  and  fears  beneath  the  roof  which  had sheltered Joachim  and  Anna. "And the  Child  grew,  and  waxed strong,  full  of  wisdom;  and  the  grace  of  God  was  in  Him."

Of the  life  which  the  Holy  Family  led  in  their  lowly  home  at Nazareth,  from  the  Presentation  of  Christ  up  to  His  twelfth  year, no other  account  is  given  in  the  Gospel,  save  only  that  "  His parents  went  every  year  to  Jerusalem  at  the  solemn  day  of  the Pasch.'  The  privilege  they  had  of  possessing  Him  who  was  above the  Law,  from  whom  indeed  the  Law  had  come,  never  prevented them  from  fulfilling  in  letter  and  in  spirit  its  injunctions.  They were  content  to  bide  God's  own  appointed  time  for  Christ's  manifestation in  Israel.

But the  sword  of  which  Simeon  had  prophesied  daily  probed the bosom  of  the  anxious  Mother. She knew  that  His  blood  was to redeem  the  world. The time  and  manner  alone  remained  a secret  hidden  from  her  motherly  heart. She naturally  feared  every year's appointed  festivals  calling  them  to  Jerusalem,  lest  His  visit there should  verify  Simeon's  prediction. This throws  a  light  on the  next  event  recorded  in  the  blended  lives  of  Mother  and  Son.

"And when  He  was  twelve  years  old,  they  going  up  into  Jerusalem, according  to  the  custom  of  the  feast,  and  having  fulfilled the  days,  when  they  returned,  the  Child  Jesus  remained  in  Jerusalem;  and  His  parents  knew  it  not.  And  thinking  that  He  was  in the  company,  they  came  a  day's  journey,  and  sought  him  among their  kinsfolk  and  acquaintance.  And  not  finding  Him,  they  returned into  Jerusalem,  seeking  Him.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that after  three  days  they  found  Him  in  the  Temple  sitting  in  the  midst of  the  doctors,  hearing  them  and  asking  them  questions.  And  all that  heard  Him  were  astonished  at  His  wisdom  and  His  answers. And  seeing  Him,  they  wondered.  And  His  Mother  said  to  Him: Son,  why  hast  thou  done  so  to  us?  Behold  Thy  father  and  I  have sought  Thee  sorrowing.  And  He  said  to  them:  How  is  it  that you sought  Me? Did you  not  know  that  I  must  be  about  My Father's  business? And they  understood  not  the  word  that  He spoke  unto  them. And He  went  down  with  them  and  came  to Nazareth;  and  was  subject  to  them. And His  Mother  kept  all these words  in  her  heart. And Jesus  advanced  in  wisdom  and  age and grace  with  God  and  men."

In this  most  simple  and  beautiful  narrative  stand  out  conspicuously, the  absorbing  love  of  Mary  and  Joseph  for  the  Boy-Saviour; their solicitude  for  His  safety,  their  keen  sorrow  at  not  finding  Him "among their  kinsfolk  and  acquaintance;  "  the  affectionate  freedom with which  they  remonstrate  with  Him  for  having  left  their  company. This accords  with  what  we  have  already  written:  that  the interests of  Jesus  are  those  of  Joseph  and  Mary. The Mother  on missing  her  Divine  Son,  feels  the  sword  already  piercing  her  soul. Joseph's fatherly  heart  experiences  a  different,  though  scarcely  less poignant sorrow,  at  the  thought  of  his  charge  being  possibly  in  the clutches of  Herod's  successor. We are  also  plainly  taught  that  the Wisdom Incarnate,  who  astonished  the  doctors  and  their  audience by His  questions  and  His  answers,  had  already  been  instructing Mary and  Joseph  about  the  supernatural  purpose  for  which  He  was come down  among  men. " Did  you  not  know  that  I  must  be  about My  Father's  business?" The liberty  which  they  allowed   their Emmanuel to  be  about  this  "business, "  whenever  the  Spirit prompted Him,  was  one  cause  of  His  being  separated  from  their company. He wished  to  show  that,  being  the  Messiah,  He  could at any  time  He  thought  fit  enter  upon  His  public  mission,  and  shed abroad among  men  the  light  of  His  doctrine. Having thus,  in  the presence of  all,  and  within  the  temple  of  which  He  was  the  Divinity, asserted His  fulness  of  knowledge. His divine  Sonship,  and  His independence. He at  once  goes  with  His  parents,  and  resumes  His former position  of  dutiful  obedience  in  the  household  of  Nazareth.

Another suggestion  is  made  in  the  text. The Holy  Family,  on their  way  to  and  from  Jerusalem,  have  for  companions  their  "kinsfolk and  acquaintance. ' '  Neither  Mary  nor  Joseph,  though  of  the house  of  David,  are  without  dear  and  near  relatives  in  Nazareth  and the  neighboring  cities  of  Galilee.  It  was  the  time  for  the  Evangelist to  make  mention  of  other  children  in  the  home  of  the  carpenter. They  only  speak  of  "kinsfolk  "  or  "brethren,"  as  the  Jewish custom  denominated  all  blood  relations.

And so,  one  brief  and  pregnant  sentence  describes  the  remaining years of  the  Master,  till,  in  His  thirtieth. He quitted  His  home Nazareth to  preach  the  "  good  tidings  "  to  His  countrymen. " He went  down  with  them,  and  came  to  Nazareth,  and  was  subject  to them.  And  His  Mother  kept  all  these  words  in  her  heart.  And Jesus  advanced  in  wisdom  and  age  and  grace  with  God  and  men."

Thenceforward, till  His  thirtieth  year,  Christ  continued  to  abide at Nazareth,  passing,  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  of  the  place,  for  the son of  Joseph. The veil  which  covered  His  origin  and  dignity was never  raised  by  either  parent. ..." We  are  apt  to  look  upon this  portion  of  His  earthly  life  as  lost,  and  disposed  to  blame  either the  influence  exercised  on  Him  by  His  Mother,  or  the  poverty  of Joseph;  or,  again,  to  criticize  the  divine  economy  for  permitting these  precious,  teeming  years  of  His  boyhood  and  youth  to  be  spent in  a  little  country  town.  .  .  .  We  forget  that  these  long  years  of obscurity,  obedience,  progress  in  wisdom,  in  every  virtue  which can  grace  manhood,  and  in  patient,  uncomplaining  toil  beneath  the carpenter's  roof,  were  destined  by  the  Eternal  Wisdom  to  serve  as the  most  eloquent  and  effective  lesson  for  the  immense  majority  of men  in  every  age  and  country.

The over-burdened  children  of  toil,  to-day  as  in  the  days  of Christ,  as  every  day  till  time  shall  be  no  more,  need  the  teaching and example  of  Joseph  the  son  of  royal  David,  and  of  Jesus  the Incarnate Word,  to  enable  them  to  find  obscurity  sweet,  and  obedience easy,  and  the  persevering  toil  of  years  tolerable.

" There  is  more  than  that:  we  are,  not  unfrequently,  tempted  to think  and  say  that  the  life  of  His  Mother,  the  Second  Eve,  the model  of  her  sex  wherever  Christianity  prevails,  is  one  of  comparative nullity.  ...  Is  she  then  less  admirable,  because  her  life  at Nazareth  is  merged  in  that  of  her  Son  T  Let  every  woman  who reads  these  pages,  and  takes  time  to  ponder  what  is  here  intended, lay  this  truth  to  heart,  that  the  future  of  the  world,  the  greatness and  happiness  of  every  country,  depend  on  the  growth  of  true  manhood within  the  obscurity  and  hallowed  quiet  of  the  Christian  home. Every  natural  and  supernatural  virtue  that  goes  to  make  up  the true  man  in  the  home  of  the  laborer  and  mechanic,  as  well  as  in that  of  the  rich,  the  learned,  the  noble,  and  the  great,  is  a  fruit  of the  mother's  sowing  and  ripening. We, in  our  day  and  generation, are impatient  of  home-restraints,  of  slow  and  progressive  culture: one such  son  as  David  or  Samuel  is  glory  enough  for  any  mother. When Christ  left  His  loved  retreat  at  Nazareth,  and  filled  Judaea with His  name,  it  was  said  of  Him:  '  He  hath  done  all  things well.' What  mother  could  desire  sweeter  praise  for  her  life-labors, or a  more  complete  eulogy  on  her  dearest  one? And since  Christ's