The four-year old Jesus symbolizes the capacity of every man to acquire virtues of “Normalization” from preschool to adolescence. This is only possible psychologically if three to six-year old children are conditioned to work independently in a specially equipped Prepared Environment using the scientific system discovered by Dr. Maria Montessori. The work that children do here helps to transform their behavior from being disorderly, lazy, disobedient, quarrelsome to being orderly, lovers of work, obedient and friendly towards being self-sufficient or independent.
God’s covenant
God’s covenant relationship with each of us is the central theme of the Bible. It is God who loves us even from the time before our birth.
From the beginning, God created heaven and earth and all the life within them, and offered it to Adam and Eve, mankind’s parents. When they disobeyed the Father, they were banished from paradise, consequently losing the gifts of immortality and full knowledge.
But God’s covenant continued. He promised a Savior. Thus, God Almighty and His prophets in the Old Testament repeatedly reminded the people to observe the laws that bind men to God, to obey the commandments of “Love your neighbors as you love God, the Father.”
Unfortunately, man’s lower nature dominated. Brothers fought brothers. Wars were waged among neighboring countries. Greed, arrogance and tyranny enslaved the people of many lands.
In the “middle of time”, the Savior was born. The most widely used calendar, the Gregorian calendar, is marked in the middle by the birth of Christ. The years before Our Lord is born are followed by the initials BC or before Christ, and the years after Our Lord’s life on earth are marked AD or Anno Domini.
Jesus speaks alone to Mary
Here are Mary’s personal accounts of her life from the visions and private revelations to four mystics – St. Elizabeth of Schoenau (1127?-1164), St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373), Ven. Mother Mary of Agreda (1602-1665), and Sister Anna Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824):
The Divine Child spoke only when alone with His mother until He reached the age of one. One day, He decided to break His silence and spoke to His foster father. The Child Jesus said in a clear voice: “My father.” Upon hearing the Infant God call him “father”, Joseph, his heart thrilling with new love, gratitude and joy, fell on his knees before Jesus.
Then Jesus continued: “I have come from Heaven upon this earth in order to be the Light of the world and in order to rescue it from the darkness of sin; to seek and to know My sheep, as a good shepherd, to give them the nourishment of eternal life to teach them the way to Heaven, and to open its gates, which had been closed by their sins. And I desire that you both be children of the Light, which you have so close to you.”
Jesus’ tunic and footwear
“Clothe Me, My Mother, in a tunic of lowly and ordinary color. This alone will I wear, and it shall grow with Me. Over this garment they shall cast lots at My Death… Men shall see that I was born and wish to live poor and destitute of visible things, which being earthly, oppress and darken the heart of man.
But, Mary replied: “My Son and my Lord, Thy Mother has not the heart to allow Thee to go barefoot at this tender age. Permit me, my Love, to provide some kind of covering to protect Thy feet. I also fear that the rough garment which Thou asked of me will wound Thy tender body if Thou wearest no linen beneath.”
“My Mother, I will permit a slight and ordinary covering for My feet until the time of My public preaching for I must do that barefoot. But I do not wish to wear linen,” Jesus answered.
Mary started preparing her Son’s robe, obtaining some natural and uncolored wool. She spun it very finely with her own hands and wove it on a small loom into a one-piece garment without any seam. At her request its color was changed to a unique mixture of brown and silver-gray. She also made a half-tunic as undergarment and a pair of strong sandals.
Although Mary had taken no measurement beforehand, the robe fitted Him perfectly, covering His feet without hindering Him in walking and the sleeves extended to the middle of His hands.
Jesus’ first steps on this earth
Then Mary gently placed the Infant God on His feet for the first time and He took His first steps on this earth. He was by far the most beautiful Child who has ever lived. Upon seeing Him standing there in His plain and humble robe, the angels marveled while Mary and Joseph were filled with new love and joy.
Now that the Child Jesus could walk, He began to retire and spend certain hours in prayer in His Mother’s room. As she silently wondered whether she should stay with Him at such times, He said to her: “My Mother, remain with me always in order to imitate Me in My actions, for I have chosen you as the vessel and model of all perfection.”
Jesus helps his parents
Jesus always thoughtfully carried water for Mary whenever she needed it, without her having to ask for it. He also helped St. Joseph handing him his tools or pieces of wood. When He was old enough, the Boy Jesus took His Mother’s needlework to her customers in town and brought back some bread.
After a trip to town, He wept over the suffering which He had seen. He then began to visit the sick in the hospitals with His Mother, seeking out those who were most afflicted in order to cheer and console them. Attracted by His charity and sanctity, they often gave Him gifts which He refused or accepted only for distribution among the poor.
At 12, Jesus begins to preach to the learned Israelites
After Jesus reached the age of 12, the Holy Family made their yearly pilgrimage to the Temple and spent seven days with friends in Jerusalem. When Mary and Joseph left the city and were on their way back to Nazareth, the Child Jesus withdrew from them without their knowledge.
He went to three schools, on each day to a different one. The questions and answers of the 12-year old Jesus surprised and irritated the teachers and priests so much that they decided on the third afternoon to have Him publicly tested in the Temple by their most famous experts, in order to embarrass and humiliate Him. Although they began by applauding the boy’s knowledge, they soon felt a secret envy and jealousy.
They all met accordingly in the great hall of the Temple, where Our Lord often taught later on. It was a vast auditorium in which crowds of people circulate casually. Around Jesus were grouped a number of aged Israelites dressed as priests. He had stepped into their midst with remarkable majesty and grace and by His pleasing appearance He awakened in these learned men a desire to hear Him. They listened to Him very intently, but with growing fury.
In replying to their questions, Our Lord spoke about Medicine. Then he took up several matters pertaining to Astronomy, Architecture, Agriculture, Geometry, Mathematics and Law. He was so skillful in correlating these different subjects with the promises, prophecies, and mysteries of their religion, its ceremonies and sacrifices that listeners were aroused and embarrassed.
Initiation into love
Every action a parent does with the child, however simple it may seem, is truly education. It influences a child’s present and future formation. Thus, the greatest feat parents must accomplish is to initiate their child into a love relationship with God.
How can this be done? In silent reflections or in spontaneous prayers of trust and thankfulness to God.
(Reference: The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics – Compiled by Raphael Brown)
(For more information or reaction, please e-mail at exec@obmontessori.edu.ph or pssoliven@yahoo.com)