July 7, 2024

14^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)  

Nazareth—So Near Yet So Far

Msgr. Thomas Gervasio

 
Excitement filled the air at the news that Jesus was coming. All of Nazareth was eager to welcome home its native son, widely acclaimed as a wise teacher and powerful healer—a miracle worker. We can imagine the comments within the overcrowded synagogue were he was to preach: “Jesus and I were great friends, I wonder what he will say, he is so wise.” “I wonder if we will witness great miracles today?” “He was always a good son and good worker; Joseph would be so proud of him today.” “If he has some time, I have some carpentry work that needs to be done at my house.” “He was always devoted to his Mother. Why isn’t she sitting up front today? She always takes the last place.” 
 
When Jesus delivers his teaching, at first, the people were amazed but as his words began to sink in, astonishment turned to resentment. They took offense at him. “How can someone like us say such things. Who does he think he is? We knew him for thirty years before he went off as an itinerant Rabbi.” The people could not imagine that someone they knew so well could be God’s spokesman, the bearer of divine grace! The hometown reception confirmed the adage, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” 
 
The people of Nazareth knew Jesus but they did not recognize him. They could not bring themselves to see who he truly was. They did not accept the mystery of the Incarnation. They were blind to it. Jesus, knowing the people of Nazareth so very well, must have anticipated such a reaction. His sorrow is reflected in his reaction: “A prophet is not without honor, except in his native land.” A priest repeated these words to me when he called to congratulate me on being appointed as pastor of my home parish. 
 
I did not make much of this admonition until one Saturday at confession time. A line of people awaited me. After I took my place in the confessional, I heard a woman say, “If you think I’m going to confession to HIM, you’re mistaken. I’ve known him since he was in diapers!” Rejection…in Chambersburg!
 
Jesus’ discourse made the people of Nazareth look within their own hearts. He challenged them to an authentic living of their faith. The bitter fact was they did not like what they saw and so they closed their minds to Jesus.
 
Let’s draw two lessons from this dramatic Gospel scene: one for preachers and one for parishioners.
 
After the example of Our Lord, a preacher’s aim is to move his listeners to look honestly within their own hearts. He should challenge them to an authentic living of the faith, to greater fidelity and love of the Lord. This requires courage especially when addressing “hot button issues” of the day. 
 
But if homilists have a duty so do parishioners. Those who assist at Mass should come with open minds and hearts for what is proclaimed. Coming to Mass with a critical spirit or hard heart, closes one off to what God wants for us. We can miss what is so life-giving and transformative when we “shut down” or “zone out” when we hear the difficult teachings of Jesus or when the homilist is not the priest or deacon we prefer. If we welcome the comforts of God’s word, we should also welcome its challenges. 
 
Let’s ask the Lord to grant us the grace not fail as did the people of Nazareth who were so close and yet so far from our Lord.