Prophets and home countries – it’s
a well known phrase. You don’t have to go too far to see examples of this
Gospel around you. Anyone who returns to their home town with new knowledge and
wisdom will soon be put in their place. This is what occurs in Jesus’ home town
of Nazareth in today’s Gospel. Even though the crowd are impressed by the local
carpenter’s son, astounded even, and note that he has great wisdom, still He
could do no deed of power there. It is definitely a reality check experience. Have
you ever had this experience in your own life? A time you were really excited
about a new found knowledge or inspired by a great event or speaker; yet when you
returned to tell friends or family members they made fun of you or greeted you
with cynicism? Or you can imagine yourself in the crowd today, listening to the
local carpenter’s son, so full of wisdom and great teachings, yet you can’t
quite believe it. In the end the Gospel tells us that Jesus, having been unable
to do any deeds of power there, left and went around the villages teaching.
Simply put, there are times when you have to move on.
“Lord how often you have sent Jesus to us in the form of someone we knew
well, but they were just too ordinary for us. All we could see was the
carpenter, the son of our neighbour . . . So the great miracle you had in store
for us could not be worked. Lord have mercy.” (Michel de Verteuil)
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