STAND FAST IN THE FAITH

New Zealand Tablet, 5 February 1914, Page 3

STAND FAST IN THE FAITH

(A Weekly Instruction specially written for the N.Z, Tablet by ‘Qhimel’.)

THE BOYHOOD OF OUR LORD.—fil. x After His mother, the next most potent influence which told on the youthful soul of Jesus was knowledge, gleaned from the wisdom of others and from books! i he exalted mind of Mary, who kept the words of God in her heart, the calm judgment and discretion of Joseph must have done much to form the human soul of the Child, and give Him, Who wished to be in all things like others, many lessons of practical life. Growing up beside Mary and Joseph, He was initiated, like other children, into human life and knowledge; from them He, though the Son of God, deigned to learn to read the Scriptures, to gather the precejits of the Law and the history of the chosen people. \ ’ ‘ Domestic education among the Jews,* writes Pere Didon, was exclusively religious and • patriotic, and concentrated on the Law, morals, and history; its intention was to form the conscience and engrave upon it the Law of God, fidelity to its precepts and love of the nation ; it was honored and obeyed among this people, which more than any other adhered to tradition. ' By domestic education, patriotism was kindled in the soul of the child ; from the heart of the father and mother it drew, with the fear of God, the knowledge of the divine commands, and was initiated into the religious spirit of Israel and its great destinies. ‘Education was imposed on parents as. a. sacred duty. The first-born child was for them the ; first fruits of the father’s strength, and a sign of God’s blessing; a family without children seemed to them neglected or accursed ; hence there was a tie -between-parents and children which has given to 'lsraelif ish families a consistency unknown to the Gentiles. The Roman had the right of killing, disinheriting, and abandoning his children ; the Jew was bound by his religion to'watch over the greatest interest of the family and the nation, which held their glory to consist in the number and the piety of their descendants. The Hebrew legislator never ceased to exhort the father to instruct his son, at home, at meals, and in travelling, in the commandments and blessings of God; and, on the other hand,- he ordered

children to honor their parents. This 'precept comes in the Law immediately after the duty towards God ; obedience was to be blessed, disobedience punished with death.’

His education was carried a step farther in the synagogue. Each village possessed a synagogue, often a simple room without architectural pretensions, its chief treasure being the roll of parchment on which the Law, the, Prophecies, and other Scriptures were written. Three times a week the people came to the synagogue to hear passages from the Scriptures read,, and explained. These were first read in the original Hebrew, and then interpreted in i the Aramaean tongue. To the synagogue of , Nazareth Jesus must have often come with his mother and foster-fatheron the Sabbath and feast-days for the reading of the Scriptures, and in the morning, at midday, and in the evening, for prayer. Moreover, T those who wished to read the Law, were accustomed to sit before the press wherein the copies were kept, and the ‘-‘Hasan” (President) gave them the sacred roll. Probably Jesus ■ came often in His, youth to pray there and medidate on the word of God so full of Him, and of which He alone was one day to reveal the mystery. Seated in the, synagogue, His. head veiled, the sacred rolls on His knees, He might read in the Scriptures His own destiny written beforehand by the prophets, might follow the evolution of the plan of God for mankind, and prepare Himself in silence, unknown to all, to accomplish His Father’s will.’ - Every Israelite, of whatever rank, ", had', to learn a trade, and -He. Who jcjime ‘not to be ministered unto, , but to minister worked with His hands fromthe % days of His ; infancy to the days of His public' life. Tradi-

tion is 1 unanimous 'in Telling us that lie followed the trade of Joseph and wrought as a carpenter, making, as St. Justin (2nd ; century) tells us, wooden implements,- ploughs, yokes, and scales. Tradition also tells us that Jesus worked like other simple artisans, only He was more grave, more modest, more silent than 11 is companions. Thus did the Master of us all sweeten, dignify, and sanctify honest work of every kind, from that of the hand-laborer to that of the lonely student. ‘ The true Master of men was to come from a small workshop. He remained, while waiting till His hour was come, the model of humble men, of whose name is unknown to history, who live obscure and undiscovered, under the eye of God. The years of their life succeed each other monotonously, all is silent in them sorrow and joy, work and virtue. The majority of men live thus; and it is not one of the least forces of Christianity that it can present for the imitation of the people a workman-Christ, devoted, in His childhood and youth, to daily labor, like the greater part of men.’