Even in our own experience, what is profound and truly helpful sometimes comes from the most unexpected places and from those persons we would least expect to have anything worthwhile to offer.
St. Paul in the first reading today tells the Corinthians that he was one such unexpected resource for those who were alert! Though a message deliverer, he did it in such a way that took the spotlight off of him and placed it rather on the message – and the power behind the message. Paul was not the greatest orator – but he was a great preacher – a great instrument in the hands of God of getting his message across by demonstrating the spirit and power of God in each and every particular setting and circumstance.
In the gospel passage we see that Jesus was commissioned by his Father to bring the message of "glad tidings for the poor, liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, freedom for the oppressed – to announce a year of favor acceptable to the Lord." But he was to do this – full of spirit and power – in a rather quiet and inauspicious way – so much so that most people would not even take the time to consider what he had to say, especially people in his own hometown. They saw him just as the hometown kid who came home to "show off" for the crowd. They had no idea who he really was! Nor were they interested in finding out!
Jesus told them, however, rather bluntly that they were "cutting their noses off to spite their faces" (in so many words) – they had access to one who could have helped them FIRST to achieve new levels of sanctity and holiness – but instead, they would be counted last, if at all!
The people were very angry at this and they wanted to take him and throw him off a cliff! But Jesus "passed through their midst" and went away!
May we rejoice this day in the many ways in which Jesus reveals himself to us: in the lowly, and the poor, in the needy, in the trusting, in the loving, in the caring, in those who most resemble little lambs in a flock – God's flock!
He will take care of us all! He loves us all!
He wants us all one day to come home to him to live forever!
Let us follow his lead!
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