Day 75: Jesus' Infancy and Hidden Life

During the greater part of his life Jesus shared the condition of the vast majority of human beings: a daily life spent without evident greatness, a life of manual labor. His religious life was that of a Jew obedient to the law of God, a life in the community. From this whole period it is revealed to us that Jesus was "obedient" to his parents and that he "increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man." CCC 531

In today's reading, the Catechism focuses on the infancy and "hidden years" of Jesus. We see that He was circumcised in accordance with the Law of Moses (Lk 2:21), the Magi visit in the Epiphany (Matt 2:1), the Presentation in the Temple (Lk 2:22-39), flight of the Holy Family to Egypt (Matt 2:13-15), their return from Egypt to Nazareth (Matt 2:19-23), and except for what must have a scary time for Sts. Mary & Joseph in the Finding in the Temple (Lk 2:41-52), all we get about most of the rest of His life until His baptism is silence. These are the "hidden years" which we would love the details about, but are not as consequential as what has been revealed to us. I do like how the Catechism describes in the quote above. It shows that He really was like us in everything, except sin (Heb 4:15). The Catechism Companion, Vol I does a pretty good job on this as well and ties it to our own lives:

Jesus was not "off mission" when he lived thirty year in a "hidden life" - that is, before he began his public ministry. He was totally consecrated to the mission that flowed from his divine sonship. God has a mission for our lives, too, and we are called to be consecrated to it. Our mission flows from our relationship with God and identity as his sons and daughters through Baptism. (p. 154)

Christ Among the Doctors, c. 1560, by Paolo Veronese

We know very little about Jesus' early years. It is for this reason that sometimes we speak of his "hidden life". Here we see Jesus in the Temple among the teachers. Even from the young age of twelve, Jesus exhibited profound wisdom and understanding (see CCC 534). (p. 155)