Sunday Meditation: The Homecoming

Two weeks ago we had a Gospel passage where in a storm at sea, Jesus admonishes his apostles for not having faith, and yet performs the miracle of quieting the storm,  In last week’s reading Jesus praises Jarius and the woman with the hemorrhage for having faith, and He performs two miracles.  In today’s reading, Jesus returns to His home town, preaches, and yet the people who knew Him best took offense at Him.  Here was a great lack of faith, and so He performed no miracles.  Faith is critical to these early chapters of Mark.

 

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.

When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,

and many who heard him were astonished.

They said, “Where did this man get all this?

What kind of wisdom has been given him?

What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!

Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,

and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?

And are not his sisters here with us?”

And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them,

“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place

and among his own kin and in his own house.”

So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,

apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.

He was amazed at their lack of faith.

~Mk:1-6

 

Why did the people who knew Him best spurn Him?  Fr. Joseph Mary of the Capuchin Franciscans explains it fully and provides the significance for our spiritual needs. 

 

God is all around us, but it is so ordinary that the familiarity breeds contempt.

Sunday Meditation: “Where did this man get all this?”

 

Back to a John Michael Talbot hymn, “Where Have You Hidden.”