GOD’S WORD THIS MONTH REJECTED BY HIS OWN In today’s Gospel Jesus visits his hometown of Nazareth with his new family of disciples. Much 14th SUNDAY IN has happened since he ORDINARY TIME last was at home. He has shown his authority over demons, illness and death. Many have come to faith in him, especially in Capernaum where he now lives. However, it was in Nazareth that members of his own natural family had believed he was insane and had tried to stop his mission. Has anything changed? Will they and the other Nazarenes now believe in him? As is his practice, he goes to the synagogue to preach. But the locals aren’t impressed. They ask pointed questions. They want to know the source of his words and deeds.
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MISSION POSSIBLE Today’s Gospel points to JULY something fundamental about the church: it is the new family of Jesus which has been 15th SUNDAY IN entrusted by him to ORDINARY TIME preach the Gospel. It is only successful when it travels light and discards any baggage which gets in the way of its mission. Since the time of Jesus there have been periods when the church has travelled 'light' and has been truly prophetic in proclaiming the Gospel. There have been other times when, weighed down with wealth, power and preoccupation with status, it has failed the Gospel. The same positive and negative patterns can be seen in the history of the church in this country. We can only hope that the deep crisis our church is going through will lead it to discard anything that gets in the way of Jesus’ mission so that the Gospel may be proclaimed anew with prophetic courage and integrity.
They question the wisdom that has been given to him. Jesus’ townspeople are limited by their own narrow experience and fixed ideas. They know his family and where he came from and simply cannot believe there is anything significant about him. They describe him using the Greek word téktōn, which is traditionally translated as 'carpenter.' The word means a craftsman who works with wood or metal. Jesus and his family would probably have been well to do, but would have been regarded as socially inferior to the educated class of religious leaders. In simple terms, the local people think that Jesus is getting above his station with all the recent publicity and that there is really nothing to it or to him. He is no different to themselves. They believe that in trying to move beyond his social standing he is bringing dishonour
to his family, and so they take offence at him. The effect of their rejection is that Jesus isn’t able to work any significant miracle in Nazareth. Jesus’ miracles require faith and this is lacking in Nazareth. Mark is refreshingly direct. He says that Jesus “could not” work miracles in Nazareth. Yet, once said, Mark softens this conclusion and says that Jesus touched some people and brought wholeness into their lives. The overall effect on Jesus is that he is “amazed” at the Nazarenes’ lack of faith. “Amazement” is often people’s faith response to Jesus’ miracles. Now Jesus is “amazed” at unbelief in Nazareth. Today’s Readings Ezk 2:2-5; Ps 122; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Mk 6:1-6
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Today’s Readings Am 7:12-15; Ps 84; Eph 1:3-14; Mk 6:7-13
God’s Word continues on page 44
