Jesus returned to his hometown. His town mates

They cannot believe that a family of carpenters can produce someone like him.

becomes a stumbling block to their faith in him.

Their own prejudices robbed them of the opportunity

to grow more in their knowledge of Jesus and of Jesus' authority.

May we let go of whatever hinders us to know Jesus more. 

 

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Ezekiel 2:2-5

A spirit came upon me

As he spoke and kept me standing; and then I heard him speak, "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a people who have rebelled against me; they and their fathers have sinned against me to this day. Now I am sending you to these defiant and stubborn people to tell them 'this is the Lord Yahweh's word.'

 

So, whether they listen or not, this set of rebels will know there is a prophet among them.

 

Ps 123:1-2, 2, 3-4 Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

However, I better give up lest somebody think more of me than what is seen in me or heard from me. Lest I become proud after so many and extraordinary revelations, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a true messenger of Satan, to slap me in the face. Three times I prayed to the Lord that it leave me, but he answered, "My grace is enough for you; my great strength is revealed in weakness."

 

Gladly, then, will I boast of my weakness that the strength of Christ may be mine. So I rejoice when I suffer infirmities, humiliations, want, persecutions: all for Christ! For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Mark 6:1-6

Leaving that place, Jesus returned to his own country, and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and most of those who heard him were astonished. But they said, "How did this come to him? What kind of wisdom has been given to him, that he also performs such miracles? Who is he but the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here among us?" So they took offense at him.

 

And Jesus said to them, "Prophets are despised only in their own country, among their relatives, and in their own family." And he could work no miracles there, but only healed a few sick people, by laying his hands on them. Jesus himself was astounded at their unbelief.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Who is he but the carpenter...?"

 Lectio Divina

 READ: Jesus returned to his own country. On a Sabbath, he taught in the synagogue. The people who heard him were astonished at his teaching. But these same people who heard him were asking where did Jesus get his wisdom and how was he able to do the miracles he performed. The people also identified Jesus to be the carpenter and the Son of Mary.

 

The people took offense at him. Jesus said that prophets are not received in their own country. Consequently, Jesus did not perform many miracles there. Jesus only laid his hands on a few sick people in order to heal them. Jesus was surprised at their lack of faith.

 

REFLECT: Our ongoing conversion happens in the ordinariness of our everyday life. In our faith journey, there are times when we tend to associate God's presence with extraordinary events. But God reveals himself even in the most ordinary event of our daily life. In the Gospel passage for today, Jesus returned to his own country.

 

On a Sabbath, he taught in the synagogue where the people who heard him were astonished. However, despite their astonishment, they took offense at Jesus because they looked at Jesus as an ordinary person in their neighborhood. Like the people in today's Gospel, it seems that we find it difficult to feel God's presence in ordinary events.

 

PRAY: We pray that we may truly feel God's presence even in the ordinary events of our daily life.

 

ACT: Let us give our best to whatever we do today while finding God amidst the ordinary.