Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house.”
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.
REFLECTION
Where did this man get all this?”
Our local parish priest was home grown. Everyone knew him. I, for one, not being from the area, never thought more than he was a good homilist and confessor. However, one time as I was working with the church group painting a house, one of the ladies proceeded to tell me stories of the priest's mischievous days, his family businesses, and that she had been his teacher. I wondered if she was just talking about someone she loved and wanted to share stories, or if she was trying to shed bad light on him or if she just loved to talk about someone we both knew. When people have been away from home for awhile, coming home may not be that easy. Memories prevent this. And you continue to be that 10 year old child.
In today's encounter of the people with Jesus, their questions did not get them closer to Jesus, but instead they were led astray. They were familiar with His family, knew Him as a child, knew His family background. He was one of them and they were unable to see beyond that. He left Nazareth as a carpenter's son and came back a preacher and healer. He was not the person they once knew.
At first when we meet Jesus it is usually in our formative years. Then when we get to know Him better, it is usually after a rebellious young adulthood, looking for God but not able to find Him in the chaos of life. Sometimes He is right in front of us, but a mere memory of whom we thought He was. We have trouble connecting the God we thought we knew to the God incarnate, who loves us with mercy. Some may never see the God who is good, faithful, our defender and rescuer from death. We are stuck in our old ways and cannot give up our past.
Let us not be too big for our britches. Allow God through his priests to show us the way to true discipleship, forgiveness and repentance.
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