A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house

 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

- Mark 6:1-13

Yesterday we read that when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, back to His ministry's "home territory" of Capernaum), a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.  And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name.  And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death.  Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."  So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.  Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"  But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."  While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead.  Why trouble the Teacher any further?"  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."  And he permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.  When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep?  The child is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.  Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."  Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age.  And they were overcome with great amazement.  But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said to that something should be given her to eat.

Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.  My study bible notes that the double response exhibited here, of being both astonished and offended, occurs frequently with those who encounter Christ (Luke 11:14-16; John 9:16).  Jesus' rejection in his own country foreshadows the rejection by the whole nation at His trial before Pilate (John 19:14-15).  So essential to Jesus' story is this rejection that His saying, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country," is found in all four Gospels (see also Matthew 13:57, Luke 4:24, John 4:44).  We note that Jesus Himself marvels in return because of their unbelief.   He can only help a few in Nazareth, because of their unbelief.  My study bible says that while grace is always offered to all, only those who receive it in faith obtain its benefits.  Jesus' response is to continue His mission, going about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.  The first thing we notice about this first apostolic journey is the humility with which He sends them out.  As He's invested them with His power, this is an example of the paradoxical nature of our faith.  They are to take nothing with them that gives them prestige, if you will.  They are not to "trade up" for better lodgings, but to honor those who receive them first.  They are merely to shake off the dust under their feet as their testimony against those who will not, although Christ expressly speaks of how such will fare in the day of judgment.  We note that they are sent out two by two.  My study bible notes that anointing the sick with oil has not only medicinal value but also sacramental value.  As God's healing power is bestowed through creation (5:27; Numbers 21:8-9; 2 Kings 13:21; John 9:6-7; Acts 5:15, 19:11-12), so oil is a vehicle of God's mercy and healing in the Church (James 5:14).

We note that people are both astonished and offended by Jesus, as my study bible points out.  In His hometown, they're both surprised by what He knows and the great gifts He has -- and at the same time they're offended because He's different from the person they thought they knew.  He's more gifted, more powerful, extraordinary.  They fail to put their faith in Him, with a few exceptions.  Jesus' path is anything but simple and easy.  Contrary to what I would characterize as a belief found in many "self-help" doctrines, just because Jesus is doing the right thing, and following His passion, so to speak, doesn't mean the world will simply line up in welcome for Him.  In fact, it is quite the opposite.  Jesus has a mission, and everybody is not going to love Him for it.  He exemplifies every good quality we can name.  He is compassionate, He is loving, He helps people, He is courageous, He endures difficulties, He tells the truth, He shares His power with others.  But somehow, all of this does not make Him a hit with everyone.  People gather in multitudes to see His healings, even to hear Him preach.  But ultimately, faith is lacking not only in His hometown of Nazareth, but elsewhere where He's done great things.  Jesus will say, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had happened in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes" (Luke 10:13).   In Matthew's Gospel these words are prefaced by telling us that these were the towns in which most of His miracles had been performed (Matthew 11:20).   He is a sinless man, and yet faith is lacking.  People will not put their trust in Him.  The Gospels give us the truth, that we live in a world where life isn't perfect, and where God's justice may indicate something quite different from what we see and how we experience life.  Jesus says of those towns where the apostles' word is rejected, that "it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"   The apostles are simply to shake the dust from under their feet as a testimony, and move on.  Life is much more complex than simply a question of doing what's right and all will fall into "perfect" place, and the Gospels give us that true picture.   The insight and compassion we receive is all about our own faith, our own choices, the goodness in which we choose to trust and to carry with us, regardless of the response of the world.  We're not being sold a popularity formula, a recipe for material success or fame or adoration.  We're told the truth, and we're given the challenge to meet Him where He comes to meet us.  We learn from the Master, as do the disciples:  we do what we know is right, and keep moving on and forward.  St. Mark the Ascetic teaches, "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."  This is our formula for a truly "successful" life, for entering into a life of love in faith, and continual growth in learning -- which is what it means, after all, to be a disciple.  Jesus will pray to the Father for His disciples at the Last Supper, saying that "the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.   They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."  What is familiar and known may reject what is different, what does not work as the "world" works, especially when we choose His way instead and He takes us out of the world we know.  Let us follow His word, and be sanctified in His truth.

A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house

 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.  When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?  Is this not the carpenter's son?  Is not His mother called Mary?  And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?  And His sisters, are they not all with us?  Where then did this Man get all these things?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."  Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

- Matthew 13:53-58

We are in chapter 13 of Matthew's Gospel,  in which parables are introduced into Jesus' preaching (beginning with this reading from a week ago).  In yesterday's reading, He taught His disciples,  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.  So it will be at the end of the age.  The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire.  There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."  Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?"  They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."  Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old." 

 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.  When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?  Is this not the carpenter's son?  Is not His mother called Mary?  And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?  And His sisters, are they not all with us?  Where then did this Man get all these things?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."  Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.  In our recent readings, Jesus has been preaching in Capernaum, both to crowds gathered on the shore, and in the house belonging to Peter's family, which has become a type of headquarters for His ministry.  In today's reading, He goes to His hometown of Nazareth in Galilee, where He was raised.  My study bible remarks on the double response of both astonishment and rejection, which occurs frequently in those who encounter Christ (see for instance Luke 11:14-16, John 9:16).  It notes that His being rejected in His own country fulfills the rejection of the Old Testament prophets such as Elijah and Elisha, foreshadowing Jesus' rejection by the whole Jewish nation at His trial before Pilate (John 19:14-15).  That a prophet is not without honor except in his own country is mentioned in all four Gospels (see also Mark 6:4, Luke 4:24, John 4:44).

In the recent chapters of Matthew, rejection has been a theme in Jesus' ministry.  That is, Jesus has begun to encounter the open hostility of the leadership, and their desire to find ways to destroy Him as an enemy (see, for example, this reading from chapter 12).   In chapter 11, He's railed against particular cities in which His "mighty works" have been done, but which have not accepted His ministry (11:20-24).  Here, the rejection in His hometown of Nazareth gives an iconic flavor to the rejection He will experience of the nation (in the body of the leadership) leading to His Crucifixion.  That the saying about the rejection of prophets in their own country is mentioned in all the Gospels gives us a sense of the importance this fact plays in our understanding of the gospel message and how the Kingdom "breaks through" in the world.  It shakes things up.  It doesn't create automatic order, in some sense.  Rather, there is division.  In chapter 10, when Jesus sends the Twelve out on their first apostolic mission, He begins by warning them of persecutions to come, telling them that He is sending them out "as sheep in the midst of wolves" (10:16-26).   Nevertheless, He encourages them to fearless witness.  He adds, however, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword."  He speaks of division, even among the most intimate of relationships.  He tells them, "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (10:34-39).  The acceptance of the reality and presence of this Kingdom involves a struggle, even within ourselves.  The worldly is transformed by the experience and choice for the Kingdom, but that's not a simple nor an easy process.  In the experience in His hometown of Nazareth, "the worldly" rejects the presence of the Kingdom.   That is, the expectations and understanding of His neighbors of who Jesus is, the setting in which and by which they know Him and His family, is something which prompts them to take offense at this new revelation in Him.  It doesn't matter what mighty works He does or has done.  It doesn't matter that He displays an extraordinary and astonishing wisdom they don't expect.  He does not conform to their expectations of Him based on what they think they know, and His place in their town.  The astonishing work of this Kingdom will break boundaries set by expectation and previous understanding.  The work of prophecy is always about recalling people back to God.  Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets come to tell the people they've forgotten the One to whom they owe loyalty, their Creator, the One who gives them every good thing, "every good and perfect gift" (James 1:17).  Jesus comes to call His people back to "the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning," as St. James writes.  To do this is to both find our lives and lose them.  We exchange a worldly perspective for the one we're given in this place Christ calls us back to.  A "worldly" perspective in this case is like the one the people in Nazareth claim as true:  the one without the understanding of what else is present, what more there is to life.  It denies the presence of the Kingdom which is also among us and within us.  The struggle for choice is always with us, as Jesus so eloquently and vociferously tells us.  A prophet's words aren't welcomed in His own country -- they shake up the order, and call people out of their understanding to something greater and bigger and requiring change to invite in and accommodate.  Change isn't easy and it's not simple.  Repentance, changing one's mind, is a lifelong learning curve.  But God's love will always lead us to expansion, like the new wine that needs new wineskins.  Faith is a journey, a way, a path.  We are always called back toward the Father of lights.

A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house

 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.  When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?  Is this not the carpenter's son?  Is not His mother called Mary?  And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?  And His sisters, are they not all with us?  Where then did this Man get all these things?  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."  Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

- Matthew 13:53-58

Chapter 13 of Matthew's Gospel introduces us to Jesus' use of parables in His ministry.  It is a distinct turning point, occurring at the same time as it is clear that the religious authorities begin to plot against Him.  He began with the parable of the Sower and its explanation in private to His disciples (see 13:1-23).  He then gave the parable of the Wheat the Tares, and then the parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven.  Once again in private, the disciples asked Him to explain the parable of the Wheat and the Tares to them.  Then, in yesterday's reading, Jesus taught:   "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.  So it will be at the end of the age.  The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire.  There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."  Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?"  They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."  Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.  When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?  Is this not the carpenter's son?  Is not His mother called Mary?  And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?  And His sisters, are they not all with us?  Where then did this Man get all these things?  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."  Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.  Jesus' own country is His hometown of Nazareth.  These are His neighbors and those who know His family, in the place where He spent His life prior to His ministry.  They all know Him as the carpenter's son.  They know His mother called Mary, and His extended family (called brothers and sisters in common parlance).  How is it possible this is the same Man, and more precisely, where did He get this wisdom and these mighty works?  My study bible  notes the double response of both marveling and rejection (here they are astonished and offended) -- something that occurs frequently in those who encounter Christ (Luke 11:14-16, John 9:16).  His rejection in His own country fulfills the rejection of the Old Testament prophets (as He will also allude) such as Elijah and Elisha, and foreshadows His rejection by the nation at His trial before Pilate (John 19:14-15).  My study bible says that Christ accepts His death in accordance with the Father's will -- not that of His persecutors who plot against Him.  This statement about the rejection of prophets is so essential that it appears in all four Gospels (see also Mark 6:4, Luke 4:24, John 4:44).

 This story of rejection in Jesus' hometown of Nazareth comes, as we've noted above, at a turning point in Jesus' ministry.  It has become clear that He's being rejected by the religious leadership, and they've begun to plot against Him.  At this stage, it becomes significant that He teaches in parables, as His Church is to go out to all the nations, to the Gentiles.  His teaching comes in forms that are "hidden in plain sight" in the parables, as His desire is to appear to those "with ears to hear and eyes to see."  No longer will this be only about one people, but rather about an extension of the people of God who come from all of the world, who have spiritual eyes and ears to discern His message, who truly desire it -- like the pearl of great price in yesterday's reading, or the field that contains the great treasure worth all else.  This is what He's looking for.  It's important to remember that He first loved us.  No matter what else we know, we know this.  As the prophets have been sent and rejected, as Jesus was sent and rejected, so we know that He first loved us.  God's love has been present for us from the beginning, is present with us, will always be the reality of God in relationship to us.  The question really is how we respond.  If we read all of chapter 4 of John's First Epistle, what we see is that it is the "language" of love, the communication of love, that really defines faith and fleshes it out, gives us its fullness.  It takes that response of love to know love, a mutual communion, in which not only do we grow in the relationship with God, but we also are to grow in relation to one another -- in which we learn love.  That's what gives us the fullness of real discipleship.  But it starts with God's love -- and our spiritual eyes and ears for discernment are linked to our own capacity to respond to love as disciples.  This is the great key.  What we see in those who are resentful and in their rejection of Christ is often a very material point of view, one that focuses on competition:  Who does He think He is?  How can He get this stuff?  He, and the prophets before Him, upset the social order.  They "speak truth to power," if we are to quote a slogan that's used in circumstances quite far away from the truly prophetic if it's not used with love as true communion.  But it's just in that aspect of true prophecy that we have to understand love:  love is not the kind of all-coddling, self-serving 'materialistic' notion that so many people have.  Such a self-serving notion is not the antidote to the over-harsh discipline of what is called love but is abusive.  The antidote to what is not love is love that is all about truth, that wants the best from us, that will also correct in order to save -- and whose true characteristic is that our service to that love is always something that strengthens, ennobles, and broadens us.  And that's where we really need to have ears to hear and eyes to see.  We need to perceive that love so that we respond to it, no matter how different or shocking or upsetting its form may be on the surface.  This is the real key here to Jesus' ministry.  The One who loves us best is not going to just hold our hand and say that right where we are is perfect; on the contrary, He's going to pull and stretch and grow us beyond what we can see today, right now and right here -- beyond what we already know.  The prophets come in many forms, Christ is the Teacher of all, the Holy Spirit works in us and among us in myriad ways, and the Father sends all of this -- from love -- for us.  It is we who must recall that wisdom is justified by her children.   Can we respond when love asks for us to stretch beyond 'our own country and our own house?'