The Fullness of Time, Silence, and the Hidden Life of Christ
Scripture tells us that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Galatians 4:4).
Christ did not enter the world with noise or spectacle. His Incarnation was announced in silence to a humble Virgin in Nazareth, and His birth took place in the quiet of a humble stable, unseen by the power of world. God chose silence to reveal His greatest mystery.
This same divine pattern continued throughout Christ’s early life. For thirty years, our Lord Jesus the Son of God lived an ordinary, hidden life in Nazareth. He grew, learned obedience, worked with His hands, and shared daily family life. He knew routine, fatigue, patience, and silence. No miracles were performed, no sermons preached, no crowds gathered. Yet these years were filled with prayer, obedience, and loving surrender to the Father. By embracing ordinary human life, Christ sanctified our human life, showing that holiness is formed in faithfulness to daily responsibilities and hidden sacrifices.
The Fathers teach that silence forms the soul. St. Isaac the Syrian says, “Silence is the mystery of the age to come.” St Pasios said “more saints are formed in silence than in sermons” and Abba Arsenius the Great said, “Often I have spoken and regretted it, but I have never regretted my silence.” Like Simeon and Anna, whose lifelong waiting in silence and prayer allowed them to recognise Christ when He came into the temple with St Mary, we too are called to embrace silence and trust God’s timing.
Silence is the sacred space where God prepares His greatest work. Those who wait upon the Lord do not miss their calling, they meet Him in the hour He appoints, and their ordinary lives become holy ground where His light enters and shines.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, who came in silence and lived in hidden obedience, teach us to wait upon You, to love quiet faithfulness, and to trust Your perfect timing, now and forever. Amen.
.jpg?width=720&upscale=true&name=image006%20(1).jpg)
