The Gospel of 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.
Reflection: We all know what it means to be “Home”. It’s a place where we are comforted, at peace, and secure within the confines of our own walls. Whether it’s sitting in your yard enjoying a fire, or in your living room enjoying a book with your fireplace or cooking with that same fire for your family. Another example of “Home” could be where you grew up. Where you were protected by your parents. All you had to worry about is playing with the neighborhood buddies. We had nothing to worry about.
Are there other places that you feel at home? Say for example your parish. Well, there is a parish that I know of that makes it a point to make you feel at “Home” regardless if you’ve been there for 20 plus years or 2 plus hours. All are Welcomed with open arms by the Pastor and the people of the parish follow. In fact, everywhere you look in the parish, there are signs that say those words, “Welcome Home”. The Pastor tells you to come and sit at the table with him and Zacharias.
All these examples remind us that “Home” is very comforting, heartening, soothing, reassuring, peaceful and most of all … loving. But what if you went home and you weren’t welcomed by your own people? How would you feel? What would you do? Think about all those beautiful people of Ukraine who once had a place called home and overnight it is gone. They are now homeless. It just breaks my heart and makes me weep knowing what those folks are encountering. They don’t know what to do, where to go, where to rest their head, how they are going to protect their children, what they’re going to eat/drink tonight or if they will be alive tomorrow. Unfortunately, they understand today’s Gospel.
Christ taught in their synagogues, their places of public worship, where they met to read, and apply the word, to pray and praise. He came by the word of his gospel, to bring light to those that sat in the dark, and by the power of his grace, to give sight to those that were blind. Some prejudice or prejudgment often furnishes an objection against the humbling doctrine of the cross; and while it is the word of God that stirs up men’s hostility, they will blame the conduct or manner of the speaker, in this case Jesus. They will not seek his favor in his own way; and are angry when others have the favors they neglect. Still is Jesus rejected by multitudes who hear the same message from his words. While they crucify him again by their sins and judgement.
Action of the Day: Pray and Pray and PRAY for the wonderful people of Ukraine.
Audio Reflection:
