"Where did this man get all this?... Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary?"
When the Lord Jesus had returned to Nazareth with his parents from the Temple at Jerusalem, he remained with them until his thirtieth year "and he was subject to them" (Lk 2,51). There is nothing in Scripture to indicate that he accomplished anything during that time, surprising though it seems... But pay attention and you will see clearly that, in doing nothing, he worked wonders. Indeed, each one of his deeds reveals his mystery. And just as what he did was with power, so also he was silent with power and dwelt in hiddenness and obscurity with power. The sovereign Lord, who was to teach us the way of life, began to do works of power even from his youth, but in a way that was surprising, unrecognized and unobtrusive, by appearing to be useless and ignorant in men's eyes and by living in lowliness...
He gave himself more and more to this way of life that all might judge him to be base and insignificant. This had been foretold by the prophet, speaking in his name: "I am a worm and no man" (Ps 22[21],7). Thus you see what he did by doing nothing. He made himself despised. Do you think that to be a small thing? For indeed, it was not he who stood in need of it, but us. I know of nothing more difficult, nor of anything greater. They seem to me to have reached the highest degree who, unfeignedly and with all their heart, are sufficiently possessed of themselves as to seek nothing other than to be despised, counted for nothing, and living in the deepest abasement. This is a greater victory than to take a town.