Jan. 30, 2022: 4th Sunday C
Jan. 30, 2022: 4th Sunday C
I have a vivid memory of when a person was so upset by my homily that he stormed out of the church. It was at a Christmas Eve mass and the church was packed, with standing room only. I began my homily by asking, “Have you ever been pursued by love?” At that point the person got up and cried out, “I don’t like the way you’re running the church!” He stormed out and slammed the church door, while the rest of us in church were dumbfounded as to why he was so upset by the first line of the homily. Later I found out that he had been in church two hours before mass to stake out a seat in front when ushers told him that he had to move elsewhere because it was reserved.
Did the people in Nazareth synagogue understand the point of Jeusus’ sermon? Jesus often praised individuals who put their faith in God; he even praised non-Jews and pagans who believed in the mighty deeds of God of Israel. Naaman, a Syrian army commander was healed of his leprosy because of his faith in a Israelite prophet. The widow in Zarephath was given an endless supply of flour and oil by Prophet Elijah during a great famine. Had Jesus preached to the Jews what they wanted to hear–that is they were God’s exclusively privileged people–Jesus would have received addulations and praise. Instead, Jesus told the truth that they didn’t want to hear, that they were prejudiced and lacked faith. In response, his hometown folks were enraged and discounted who Jesus was–-just a son of a simple carpenter and an ordinary mother. How dare he insult us! Surely, he could not perform any miracles. The people were enraged that Jesus did not praise their shallow faith. We learn later that because of their lack of faith, Jesus was only able to perform a few miracles there. Perhaps there is a wisdom in not placing a native vocation in his home parish once they’re ordained. The parishioners may remember or judge the priest by their former life, and it may be difficult to accept the priest with their new identity; for “no prophet is accepted in his own native place.” (Luke 4:24)
What about our faith? What happened in the Nazareth synagogue can also happen today in our church. We may carry prejudices with us into our places of worship. Prejudice can lead us to hardened hearts, unable to listen to the message God wants to give us. We cannot have a smug attitude that we are the favored one. We know this much: God gives grace to the humble who seek him with expectant faith. St. Therese of Lisieux used an analogy to describe a person with an expectant faith. There were two sisters playing inside the house when they broke one of the most expensive items that their daddy cherished. When their father arrived, one of the sisters went into hiding in fear and trembling. The other sister threw herself into her father’s arms, telling him that she was sorry to have hurt him, that she loves him, and that she will prove it by being good from now on… Then, she asked her father to punish her with a kiss.
God’s mercy flows when a person has a repentant heart. Setting aside time for Holy Mass, daily prayer, Sacrament of Reconciliation, and works of mercy are ways in which we grow in our confidence in our Father’s mercy. When our faith life is Christ centered, we realize that we need a Savior, our life of transformation can begin.
