Jesus is one Person who bears two natures — human and divine. What that means is that Jesus, while still fully God, was also fully human in his earthly life, through his bodily ascension into heaven, and even now still (He’s God, he can totally do that).
Although a personal encounter with Jesus is something every Christian strives for (or ought to be striving for), I would bet that few of us fully comprehend or have ever pondered just what that human nature of Christ entailed.
Sure, Jesus never sinned, but he was tempted, and he did have to grow from infancy, through the teenage years, into adulthood before assuming His place at the right hand of the Father. So, here’s a little look into some things Jesus probably did and exhibited during his earthly life (in GIFs):
1) Jesus was an adorable little baby
“Amen, Amen I say to you, googoo gaga.”
2) Jesus “fall down go boom”
He probably didn’t have that sweet snowsuit, though.
3) Jesus smiled at Mary with food on His face
Was it a seamless bib? We’ll never know…
4) Jesus had to learn how to walk
And THEN he had to learn to walk on water.
5) Jesus giggled at silly things
Jury’s still out on which of His friends had a lightning scar on their forehead.
6) Child Jesus needed saving from harm, and St. Joseph saved the day
No wonder God put him in charge.
7) Jesus played in the yard with his family
St. Joseph: Terror of Demons and Spinner of Children
8) Jesus enjoyed the company of animals
Like chickens…
And puppies…
9) Jesus loved the beauty of nature
I mean, He did create it after all…
10) Jesus loved spending time with His friends
11) Jesus laughed
12) Jesus cried
13) Jesus got angry (righteously)
the face…
…and the flip.
Jesus probably did it way better than Thor, though
14) Jesus got annoyed by things
Does this count as annoying?
15) Jesus had to deal with the deaths of people He loved
Food for Thought: Mary & Joseph had to teach Jesus about death.
16) But in the midst of hardship, Jesus didn’t despair
Basically, the things we experience, as humans, on a daily basis — Jesus literally knows what that’s like. That was the whole point in His coming to earth by taking on a fully human nature — so that He could walk with us, live with us, and (eventually) redeem our fallen nature through his suffering, death, and Resurrection.
It’s likely more difficult now than it ever has been to fathom how God could possibly know what we’re going through. What’s more, we’re often driven to believe that God can’t care about us orcan’t be all-loving when He seems to put us or others through bouts of incredible suffering, loss, and difficulty.
However, we can (and should) find solace and great comfort in knowing that any hardship we’re asked to weather in our lives, God has experienced Himself. Through scourging, beatings, carrying the cross, and crucifixion — the greatest of all suffering — Jesus took our suffering onto Himself and gave it redemptive power.
He tells us not to be afraid, and, as the John Michael Talbot song goes, “I go before you always. Come, follow me, and I will give you rest.” We can trust Jesus, because, in His humanity, He suffered first, going before us in the way of the Cross to show us that suffering can be redeemed.
This Holy Week, we ought to contemplate the profoundly human qualities of Our Lord, and through them strive to become more like Jesus in every part of our lives.
Originally posted on Mountain Catholic