Meditation Minute

My Dearest brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 4:24-30

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built,  to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is preaching to his own home town. As the hometown boy, they expected a lot from him. They expected that he would heal all them and perform miracles just because he grew up in Nazareth. But Jesus tells them that there are many people who need to be healed, but only those with faith are healed. He tells them, “There were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them were cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” Naaman was healed not because he did what God told him, but because he had deep faith that if he did what God told him he would be cured. The people of Nazareth felt that they were entitled to Christ’s miracles and demanded that they be healed. However, this would not change the hardness in their hearts. Jesus knew that they lacked the faith that would make the healing possible. Healing comes through conversion. One must truly submit to God to open ones heart to the power of faith. Jesus performed no miracles in Nazareth because of their lack of faith. His attitude towards their selfishness pride upsets them so much that they want to kill him. Instead of falling on their knees and asking for his love, their true feeling of hatred and resentment come forth. But Jesus demonstrates his power over them by paralyzing the crowd so that the crowd cannot harm him.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Christ Jesus, give me the power to open my heart and my soul.

My I be an example of your love and compassion to my family and friends.

May I lead them to your table to take part in the bounty of your salvation.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael F. Marcon