By Deacon Bill Richer
In this Sunday’s Gospel, we learn some interesting details about Jesus and His early Life. Jesus’ kinfolk know Him to be a carpenter, an artisan who works in wood, stone, and metal. This Gospel also tells us that Jesus is hampered from performing miracles in Nazareth because of the peoples’ lack of faith. Jesus is said to be surprised by this.
This passage unfolds a continuing theme of “who is Jesus?” The people of Nazareth might know the carpenter, the Son of Mary, but they do not know Jesus the Son of God. St. Mark, showing that Jesus too was rejected, reassures and consoles his readers that we need to accept the possible consequence of Catholic Christian discipleship as well.
So how can we connect this Sunday’s gospel to our lives?
Ask yourselves this question. Do our closed minds about some people limit God’s power to improve our lives? It can be hard to remember that God uses ordinary everyday folks in our lives to do extraordinary things for us. This week, look closely at people you’ve known for years. When you drop your expectations about them, you might see God challenging or helping you in ways you’d never expect. Don’t be discouraged when a friend, coworker, or teammate writes off your advice or ignores your help. That doesn’t mean our Lord isn’t trying to use us. God still chooses prophets, but many are rejected by those who know them best. So, take a fresh look. God bless You.