The Hidden Life of Jesus By Henri Nouwen

The largest part of Jesus’ life was hidden.  Jesus lived
with his parents in Nazareth, “under their authority” (Luke
2:51), and there “increased in wisdom, in stature, and in
favour with God and with people” (Luke 2:52).  When we think
about Jesus we mostly think about his words and miracles,
his passion, death, and resurrection, but we should never
forget that before all of that Jesus lived a simple, hidden
life in a small town, far away from all the great people,
great cities, and great events.  Jesus’ hidden life is very
important for our own spiritual journeys.  If we want to
follow Jesus by words and deeds in the service of his
Kingdom, we must first of all strive to follow Jesus in his
simple, unspectacular, and very ordinary hidden life.

The largest part of Jesus’ life was hidden.  Jesus lived
with his parents in Nazareth, “under their authority” (Luke
2:51), and there “increased in wisdom, in stature, and in
favour with God and with people” (Luke 2:52).  When we think
about Jesus we mostly think about his words and miracles,
his passion, death, and resurrection, but we should never
forget that before all of that Jesus lived a simple, hidden
life in a small town, far away from all the great people,
great cities, and great events.  Jesus’ hidden life is very
important for our own spiritual journeys.  If we want to
follow Jesus by words and deeds in the service of his
Kingdom, we must first of all strive to follow Jesus in his
simple, unspectacular, and very ordinary hidden life.

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