A reading from an Address by Pope Paul VI – The pattern of Nazareth
The home of Nazareth is the school where we begin to understand the life of Jesus—the school of the Gospel.
The first lesson we learn here is to look, to listen, to meditate and penetrate the meaning—at once so deep and so mysterious –of this very simple, very humble and very beautiful manifestation of the Son of God. Perhaps we learn, even imperceptibly, the lesson of imitation.
Here we learn the method which will permit us to understand who Christ is. Here above all is made clear the importance of taking into account the general picture of his life among us, with its varied background of place, of time, of customs, of language, of religious practices– in fact, everything Jesus made use of to reveal himself to the world. Here everything is eloquent, all has a meaning.
Here, in this school, one learns why it is necessary to have a spiritual rule of life, if one wishes to follow the teaching of the Gospel and become a disciple of Christ.
How gladly would I become a child again and go to school once more in this humble and sublime school of Nazareth: close to Mary, I wish I could make a fresh start at learning the true science of life and the higher wisdom of divine truths.
May God bless you all and may your families be blessed with peace,
with love and prayers Fr Michael