From the Annunciation to the resurrection of Lazarus

1 God prepares the coming of the Savior

During the reign of Herod the Great, Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth. Both descended from King David, but led a simple life sustained by their own work. Joseph was recognized as a just man, and Mary had consecrated her entire life to God.

Then God sent the archangel Gabriel to announce to Mary that she had been chosen as Mother of the Savior. The angel greeted her as “full of grace” and explained that she would conceive by the work of the Holy Spirit, without losing her virginity.

At that instant the Incarnation occurred: the eternal Son of God assumed human nature without ceasing to be God. Thus began the work of redemption of all humanity.

2 The visit to Elizabeth and the birth of John the Baptist

After the Annunciation, Mary traveled to the hill country of Judea to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was expecting a child despite her advanced age. More than a family visit, it was to help and serve her for several months.

When Elizabeth heard her greeting, she recognized by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Mary carried the Messiah in her womb, and called her Mother of her Lord. Mary responded with the hymn of the Magnificat, a song of praise and gratitude that the Church continues to pray to this day.

Elizabeth’s son was John the Baptist, chosen by God to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus Christ.

3 The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem

A decree from Emperor Caesar Augustus ordered a census throughout the Roman Empire. Because they belonged to the family of David, Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Upon arrival, they found the city full of travelers and could not find lodging. They took shelter in a place intended for animals and there, during the night, Jesus was born.

Mary wrapped the Child in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger. That same night, an angel announced the good news to some shepherds who were watching their flocks: they were the first to visit and adore the Savior.

4 The presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Eight days after His birth, the Child received the name of Jesus, as the angel had indicated.

When the days prescribed by the Law were fulfilled, Mary and Joseph took Him to the Temple of Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. There the old man Simeon recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah and gave thanks to God with the canticle of the Nunc dimittis. The prophetess Anna also praised God and spoke of the Child to those who awaited the deliverance of Israel.

5 The adoration of the Magi

Some time later, wise men from the East arrived, guided by an extraordinary star. They understood that it announced the birth of the awaited King and traveled to pay Him homage.

First they passed through Jerusalem, where Herod pretended interest in knowing the Child. Then they continued to Bethlehem, where they found Jesus with Mary. Prostrate before Him, they offered Him three gifts laden with meaning:

Warned by God in dreams, they returned to their country without informing Herod.

6 The flight to Egypt

Seeing that the Magi would not return, Herod ordered the killing of all the young children in Bethlehem, intending to eliminate Jesus as well.

Before this happened, an angel warned Joseph in a dream to flee with Mary and the Child to Egypt. The Holy Family remained there until the death of Herod and then returned, settling permanently in Nazareth.

7 Jesus in the Temple at twelve years old

Every year Mary and Joseph made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old, He remained in the Temple without their noticing.

After searching for Him anxiously for three days, they found Him conversing with the teachers of the Law, who admired His wisdom. When Mary asked Him why He had stayed there, Jesus replied:

With these words He manifested His unique relationship with God the Father. Then He returned to Nazareth and continued to live obediently with Mary and Joseph, growing in wisdom, stature, and grace.

8 John the Baptist prepares the way

When the time appointed by God arrived, John the Baptist began to preach beside the Jordan River. He dressed simply, led a life of penance, and invited everyone to convert:

Many people came to listen to him and receive baptism as a sign of conversion.

9 The baptism and temptations of Jesus

When Jesus was about thirty years old, He went to the Jordan to be baptized by John. Although John considered himself unworthy to do so, he obeyed the will of the Lord. As Jesus came out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove and the voice of the Father was heard:

Afterward, Jesus withdrew to the desert for forty days to pray and fast. There He allowed Himself to be tempted by the devil and overcame every temptation, teaching us how to remain faithful to God in the face of evil.

10 The first disciples

Upon His return, John the Baptist pointed to Jesus saying:

Some disciples then began to follow Jesus. Among them were Andrew and Simon, to whom Jesus gave the name of Peter. Little by little other men also responded to His call, beginning the group that would accompany the Lord throughout His mission.

11 The first miracle at Cana

Jesus attended a wedding in Cana of Galilee with His Mother and some disciples. When the wine ran out, Mary discreetly presented the need to her Son. Jesus turned a large quantity of water into excellent wine.

This was the Lord’s first public miracle and strengthened the faith of those who were beginning to follow Him.

12 The choice of the twelve Apostles

Later, Jesus chose twelve men to live with Him and continue His mission:

• Peter
• Andrew
• James
• John
• Philip
• Bartholomew
• Matthew
• Thomas
• James (of Alphaeus)
• Judas Thaddaeus
• Simon the Canaanite
• Judas Iscariot

Among them, Jesus entrusted Peter with a special responsibility as the visible head of the apostolic group.

13 The preaching of the Kingdom of God

For about three years, Jesus traveled through Judea and Galilee announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God. He taught in synagogues and in the open air —on mountains, in villages, in houses, and by the sea— addressing people of every condition.

Among His best-known teachings are the Sermon on the Mount and the prayer of the Our Father, with which He taught His disciples to address the heavenly Father.

He frequently used parables to explain the truths of the Kingdom through simple examples from daily life. Among the best known are:

• The prodigal son
• The good Samaritan
• The good shepherd
• The sower
• The mustard seed
• The ten virgins

14 The miracles that confirmed His mission

Jesus’ words were accompanied by numerous works of mercy. He healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and speech to the mute; He cleansed lepers and freed many people from the dominion of evil spirits.

On two occasions He fed large crowds by multiplying a few loaves and fishes. And He performed several miracles over death, such as the resurrection of the son of the widow of Nain and, shortly before His Passion, that of Lazarus, who had been in the tomb for four days.

15 The growing opposition against Jesus

While many people welcomed His teaching with faith, the principal religious leaders began to reject Him. His denunciation of hypocrisy, together with the popularity of His preaching and His miracles, aroused the envy of scribes, Pharisees, and other leaders of the people, who sought to discredit Him and find grounds to accuse Him.

The resurrection of Lazarus caused even more people to believe in Jesus, which increased the fear of His adversaries. Finally they decided to seek a way to put Him to death.

Without understanding the scope of his words, the high priest Caiaphas stated that it was better for one man to die for the people. That phrase unknowingly announced the redemptive sacrifice that Jesus Christ would offer for the salvation of the world.