Cycle C - Year I:

3 February 2013 - 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical color: Green)

Luke 4:21-30

Through the eyes of faith!

As we go back to Ordinary Time in the Church's liturgical calendar, St. Luke tells us the beginning of Jesus' mission in last Sunday's Gospel. He returned to his home town of Nazareth and in the synagogue he read a passage from the prophet Isaiah describing the signs that the Messiah would perform. He then revealed to them that He is the Messiah.

This week's Gospel is the continuation of the events described in last Sunday's Gospel reading.

The people of his home town were impressed with his preachings. But when Jesus claims to be the Messiah they would not accept that. They knew him so well in Nazareth and to his people Jesus is the son of Joseph the carpenter. So why would he claim to be the Messiah? Jesus' response to their unbelief:"Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place."

In other words, the people of Nazareth failed to look beyond the surface. They saw only what they wanted to see in Jesus as the humble carpenter in their neighborhood. And this is not totally surprising. In fact throughout the Gospels Jesus speaks of those who had the chance of personal encounter with him and yet were blind and deaf to his saving message simply because they cannot accept who He is.

Too often we share the same attitude as the people of Nazareth in dealing with Jesus. We may be attracted to his great preaching and the many wonderful miracles that satisfy our needs.  But do we believe in him as our Messiah and Lord?

Sadly, we sometimes fail to see that Jesus is the answer to all our human hope, desires and longing. In our day-to-day actions and in our dealings with others, how often do we push Jesus aside for our own convenience, and act as if we do not know him because his teachings are hard to accept? How many more laws that our leaders will make that directly contradict his teachings on life, the sanctity of marriage, and respect for human dignity as the image of God?  How many of God's natural laws that we transgress in search of economic prosperity?

Man's real poverty today is the lack of faith in God. Faith is an unreserved, total and unconditional trust in God manifested by acceptance and obedience of all his commandments. God showers his blessings and salvation to those who have the right disposition and those who believe in his words.

In the Eucharist at Holy Mass let us pray for God's grace to listen with a sincere heart to Jesus and his teachings through the Church, so that we are able to commit ourselves to him and see our Lord Jesus, through the eyes of faith, for who and what he really is: our Messiah.  In this way, we can truly share in the salvation he gives, not at some future time, but here and now.
 
A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Deo Optimo Maximo!