Nazareth yesterday… Nazareth today… The 2000 years of history that separate us from the Holy Family do not allow us today to fully understand that which Nazareth was yesterday, and that, notwithstanding all the research and archeological work, remains very interesting.But, the essential interest of Nazareth is not there. It is in understanding how, in faith, we can now follow the example of the hidden life of Jesus of Nazareth, whatever the environment and context in which we live.                                                                          Friar Eugenio AlliataItalian Institute of Archeology– Jerusalem“The village of Nazareth is small, certainly. But it is well known. And it is known today, thanks to Jesus Christ, son of Mary—thanks to his hidden presence in this village of Galilee. Jesus did not perform miracles in Nazareth. He did not preach great sermons. He lived as a simple young man, surrounded by his family, waiting for the moment chosen by God to start his mission. This is a situation to which each man may feel – I would say – united. Because we all have a mission from God, but we are not always called to make this mission explicit by grand proclamations. Often, rather, we are called to live our mission in the humility of little things, like Jesus and Mary did for a long time.”                 Mgr. Giacinto-Boulos MarcuzzoLatin Patriarchal Vicar for Israel“A very interesting thing is what we call the ‘spirituality of Nazareth’. It was a spirituality which was diffused above all by Charles Foucauld, now the Blessed Friar Charles de Foucauld, who, as is well known, lived 3 years in Nazareth. Here he had a real conversion. He was renewed. He was positively saved by the discovery of the spirit of Nazareth, which is to say, the Grace of Nazareth. What does this consist of, exactly? It is, finally, the simple but extraordinary fact that Jesus shared our daily lives in work, in family. He prayed, he had social relationships… And, this daily, mundane existence which he lived for nearly 30 years, he transformed it, prepared it, made it wonderful, gave it its completely supernatural dimension, purified it… This is the discovery that Charles de Foucauld made. This is the discovery which we ourselves can make, which every pilgrim can make. If we live our ordinary lives in family, of work, which is composed of routine and banal events, our whole life will become wonderful, supernatural and divine because we live with Jesus of Nazareth in the evangelical spirit.”                                                 Like Charles de Foucauld, we all need to return to Nazareth and remain there, to grow with Jesus, with Mary and Joseph, in simplicity, humility and praise.   

Nazareth yesterday… Nazareth today… The 2000 years of history that separate us from the Holy Family do not allow us today to fully understand that which Nazareth was yesterday, and that,...leggi tutto