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 Lord would  not  have anticipated, by  a  single instant, the  time  fixed  in the  eternal  decree  for entering on  His  public ministry, Nevertheless, through the  long  years in which  He  was  apparently doing  nothing  towards the  end  for  which He came  upon  earth, His work  was  before  Him, and He  was  all  the  time unceasingly and  most  effectually engaged  upon it. He thus  affords  us  an incontestable  proof  of  the utility of  a  life  passed  in prayer  and  penance. Would He,  the  incarnate Wisdom, have  spent  the whole of  His  life  on  earth save the  three  last  years in a  manner  which  was not conducive,  in  an  eminent degree,to  the  glory  of God  and  the  interests  of mankind? It was  in  the solitude of  Nazareth  that the great  Apostleship  of Prayer  commenced. His labors and  His  every  action were  regulated  by  obedience, and  this  not  simply during  His  childhood and youth,  but  equally  in the  maturity  of  His  manhood. Each outward  action He  performed,  each work He  wrought,  however  ordinary  in  itself, was of  infinite  value  as  a prayer,  as  well  as  an  act of reparation  and  expiation; yet  these  were  not the principal  occupation of His  hidden  life,  nor the most  important  part of its  teaching  for  ourselves.

"Our Lord's  ceaseless prayer — this  was  the  great work  —  opus  Dei — the work  of  God  to  which  He entirely  consecrated  thirty years  of  His  life,  the  means by  which  He  negotiated the  salvation  of  the  world, and  converted  souk,  no less  than  by  the  brilliant works  He  wrought  during His  three  years'  ministry, the  eloquent  words  that fell  from  His  sacred  lips, or  the  sufferings  of  His passion.  The  virtue  of those  secret  supplications which  ascended  from  His sacred  Heart  in  the  silence of  Nazareth  is  being  felt throughout  the  world  now, and  will  continue  to  be felt  until  the  end  of  time, and  its  fruits  will  remain for  eternity.  No  age,  no tribe,  no  people,  no  individual soul  has  been excluded  from  its  em-