Fr. Aidan Writes:
This weekend’s Gospel continues from last week, when we saw Jesus reading from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth where he grew up. He ended with the words, “This scripture is being fulfilled today in your hearing.” His teaching was wonderfully received but also questioned… “but he’s Joseph’s son surely?” Jesus knew the old adage, “A prophet is not welcomed in his home
town.” Why?… because people knew him as one of them. We know each other, especially in our families, but when someone we know well tells a deep and profound truth we can be astounded, disturbed or skeptical about it. That’s because we listen to it as a human utterance. But if wisdom is of God, then we must be open to accept- ing it from whatever mouth it comes and weigh it carefully. Jesus then really challenges his local audience by pointing out that God has spoken in the past through the lives of outsiders and blessed them, rather than the chosen people. They do not like hearing this, and their wonderful reception of His word devolves into fury; they try to kill him but he escapes (somewhat comically) through the crowd.
So, some questions. Where do we get our “good news” from? Are we open to difficult truths from unex- pected sources? Are we open to challenge from sources closer to home? Have we become so entrenched in a particular view that we cannot even countenance to hear anything that challenges it? Do we fail to think about how our faith and our world mutually build up a deeper understanding of truth and reality in our lives? Do we just hold onto our formulas of faith and carry them around like a bag of rocks; thereby keeping us from opening our arms to embrace truth “uttered” to us in a different way?
I am away all of this coming week, and Fr Armand will also be away from Wednesday after Mass for two weeks. Please look after Fr Alfred and Fr John!
God bless, you and your families,
Fr Aidan-Peter CJ
May God bless you, your families, and the week ahead,
Fr Aidan Peter