Today Jesus is celebrating his twenty-fifth birthday. I woke up early to bake bread. He truly enjoys eating fresh baked bread in the morning so I wanted to have it ready when He woke up. As I waited for the bread to bake in the tannur, I sat by the window to reminisce about these twenty-five years.
It seems like it was in another lifetime when we had to go to Bethlehem for the census. I recall Jesus’ birth in the stable, the visit from the shepherds and then the magi. I remember our days with Matthias and Joanna. I think about them often. I have never returned to Bethlehem so I have never seen them again. I hope God blessed them with other children.
I remember our flight into Egypt, and the seven years that we lived there. Those were peaceful years, even though we lived in a foreign land. Jesus’ childhood was very special. He was always a precocious Child, full of questions. He always wanted me to tell Him a story, and He wanted to know the reason for everything. I miss so much how He would fall asleep in my arms like a little lamb.
Then we returned to Nazareth. Jesus continued to grow, and the older He got, the more mysterious and independent He became. After Joseph died, He took over the shop. He also continues going to Sepphoris when there is not enough work in Nazareth. One day I asked Him how long He was going to work as a carpenter, and He replied: “Until my hour comes.”
“The hour” became for my Son a point of reference. “What does He mean by His hour?” I asked myself. Yes, I understood that He had a mission, but “the hour” was an enigma for me. If He had known all along what HIs mission was, He would not have had a normal childhood or adolescence. He discovered His call little by little, like a flower that opens up in slow motion.
The past five years have not changed much His routine. He wakes up at the crack of dawn. He does His morning prayers. We have breakfast together. Then He goes to work, with the same dry skin bag that I made Him when He worked as a shepherd. Sometimes I fill it with grapes, bread and olives, and other times with figs, almonds and cheese. Jesus laughs at me. “Mother, if I ever have to leave your side, I’m not going to be able to survive without your care,” He would tell me.
“In the meantime, allow me to spoil You, that’s what mothers are for. If your father could see how good looking You have turned out to be.”
He would just smile at me, like saying that of course His father could see Him.
My whole day was planned around His schedule. I had lots to do at home, and errands to do in town, but my hours were marked by the time I had to be home to prepare the meal for Jesus to have it ready when He was done with His work.
On the days that He gets home early, we take a walk before dinner through the valley or down to the river. Those are peaceful walks where sometimes we talk about our day, and other times we are just quiet enjoying the sunset, the trees, the flowers and the air around us. Jesus is much taller than me. My head barely reaches His shoulder. The people in town, when they see us walking together, they say that we look so much alike that we are like two identical drops of water, except for the fact that one drop is much bigger than the other one.
One day, on one of our walks, Jesus asked me: “Mother, are you happy?”
“What kind of question is that Jesus, of course I’m happy.”
“Have you always been happy?”
“Yes, Jesus, I have always been happy. We lived difficult times during your birth and shortly thereafter, You know the stories, but overall, I have lived a happy life with Joseph and You. Why are You asking me this?
“Mother, most people have a distorted view of what happiness truly is. They think that they can find happiness in material goods and possessions, but they don’t realize that the true happiness comes from within. There are a lot of people that are very poor, they don’t have anything, and yet, they are more happy than the rich. You, Mother, have been happy because You have a compassionate heart. Those that care for the good of others will inherit the earth, while those that have cold hearts and only care about themselves will lose everything. I am going to suffer much, when they hurt you, Mother. I’m going to be persecuted because I will speak the truth. But know that those that speak the truth will receive the Kingdom of God. Remember this when my hour comes, and let it fill your soul with joy.”
When I heard Him speak like this, I felt a fire rising within me. We were both silent, but I felt my heart beating together with my Son’s. I hugged Him tightly, afraid that I was already losing Him. I remembered Simeon’s prophecy, a shadow that has followed me all these years, and that I feel approaching me more and more each day, like the shadows of the night as the sun makes its way beyond the horizon.
The bread is ready, so for today, I will not worry and I will celebrate with my Son His 25th birthday.
Reflection:
Where do I find happiness? Do I try to fill my life with material goods and possessions? Or does my happiness comes from within?
Copyright © 2020 Christy Romero. All rights reserved.
Resources from the following books are being used on this journey:
1. The Mystical City of God: A Popular Abridgement of the Divine History and Live of the Virgin Mother of God by Venerable Mary of
Agreda
2. The World’s First Love: Mary, Mother of God by Fulton J. Sheen
3. Las Palabras Calladas: Diario de Maria de Nazaret by Pedro Miguel Lamet
4. My Soul Magnifies the Lord: A Scriptural Journey with Mary by Jeanne Kun
All Bible references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise specified.
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