Cycle B - Year I:

5 July 2015: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Liturgical color: Green)

Mark 6:1-6


Listen and believe!


Sometimes, people have the tendency to put up "walls" to protect their privacy in human relationship. Because to "unveil" ourselves completely, is to face the risk of rejection.

The Gospel narrative this Sunday tells us that even Jesus was rejected too. He came to visit his hometown of Nazareth with his disciples. When the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were astonished, but they did not accept his preaching because they knew him to be just a working man, a carpenter, a mere layman.

Although the people of Nazareth have heard about the wondrous deeds performed by our Lord in other and neighboring places, Jesus faced a severe testing when he returned to his native land not simply as a carpenter's son but now as a rabbi with disciples. They couldn't see the Messiah standing right beside them, because he looked too much like one of them. As a result of the obstinacy of his own people of Nazareth, Jesus was not able to perform mighty deeds there because faith is lacking. Where there is no acceptance or faith, people can do nothing.

There is a modern term to describe the gospel incident: it may be called "crab mentality", when people would pull other people down, denigrating them rather than letting them get ahead or rejoicing at their achievement.

Today our Lord continues to face rejection by those who called themselves Christians or his followers, by openly questioning and disobeying his teachings, for example, the Church's teaching on marriage, human life, and sexuality. Also during Mass, how many listen and reflect on the priest's homily, perhaps thinking that they have heard it already many times. It is a rejection of Jesus when we do not want to listen to his word or the preaching of his priests.

Thus, the Gospel warns us to be on guard against  certain attitudes that are incompatible with the example of Jesus. Are we critical towards others, especially those close to us? It is said that the most severe critics are often people very familiar to us, a member of our family, a relative, or neighbors we rub shoulders with on regular basis.

In sum, do we take notice of the Messiah standing right beside us, all the while healing us silently of our spiritual and bodily ailments through the sacraments and the help of loving people? Or we want always to see our Lord in the spectacular events, like the "dancing sun" perhaps?

Let us listen and believe, and keep faith in Jesus. Because to reject Jesus our Lord is really to reject humanity itself.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.


Ad Jesum per Mariam!