Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B July 8, 2018

First Reading
Ezekiel 2:2-5
The Lord sends the prophet Ezekiel to the Israelites.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 123:1-2,3-4
A prayer to God for mercy

SECOND READING
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Paul bears insults and weakness for the sake of Christ.

GOSPEL READING
Mark 6:1-6
Jesus is rejected in his hometown.

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by
his disciples.
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, "Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?"
And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house."
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.


BACKGROUND ON THE GOSPEL READING

This Gospel immediately follows upon last week's stories of the raising
of Jairus's daughter and the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage. It
sets the context of our Gospel readings for the next two weeks in which
Jesus will extend the work of his ministry to his disciples.

Today's Gospel describes what many believe to have been the typical
pattern of Jesus' ministry: teaching in the synagogue followed by acts
of healing. In his hometown of Nazareth, the people are amazed by what
they hear, but they also cannot comprehend how someone they know so well
might move them so powerfully.

In this Gospel, we learn some interesting details about Jesus and his
early life. Jesus' kinfolk know him to be a carpenter, an artisan who
works in wood, stone, and metal. He probably learned this trade from his
father. Family members of Jesus are also named. Mark describes Jesus as
the son of Mary, which is an unusual designation. Adult males were more
typically identified with the name of their fathers. It is unclear why
Mark deviates from this custom.

Brothers and sisters of Jesus are also named. Scholars are divided on
how to interpret this. As Catholics, we believe that Mary was and
remained always a virgin, thus we do not believe that this Gospel refers
to other children of Mary. Some have suggested that these family members
might be Joseph's children from a previous marriage, but there is little
evidence to support this. Others explain this reference by noting that
the words brother and sister were often used to refer to other types
of relatives, including cousins, nieces, and nephews.

This Gospel tells us that Jesus is hampered from performing miracles in
Nazareth because of the people's lack of faith. Jesus is said to be
surprised by this. He did not predict or foresee this rejection. In this
detail we find a description of the very human side of Jesus.

This passage unfolds a continuing theme of Mark's Gospel: Who is Jesus?
His kinfolk in Nazareth might know the carpenter, the son of Mary, but
they do not know Jesus, the Son of God. Mark is foreshadowing Jesus'
rejection by his own people, the people of Israel. He is also reflecting
on and trying to explain the situation of the community for which he
wrote. While many of the first Christians were Jewish, Christianity took
hold and flourished in the Gentile community. Mark's community was
mostly a Gentile community, who may have been experiencing persecution.
By showing that Jesus himself was rejected, Mark consoles and reassures
his first readers. He also prepares us to accept this possible
consequence of Christian discipleship.


FAMILY CONNECTION
Our family plays an important role in shaping us and forming our
self-identity. In family life, we find a safe place to discover who we
are and who God calls us to be. But sometimes the influences from
outside our family can make us unrecognizable to those who know us best.
These outside influences can lead us away from God, or they can lead us
toward a deeper relationship with God. In today's Gospel, we see that
the people of Nazareth could not recognize Jesus as the Son of God. They
could know him only as the son of Mary. We hope that through our family
life we will be encouraged to filter the many influences on our lives
through the lens of faith so that we will become the person that God
calls us to be.As you gather as a family, talk about the people and
events that are influencing members of your family. Acknowledge that
many of these people and events are positive influences, helping us be
better people and leading us to a deeper relationship with God. Also
acknowledge, however, that there are negative influences in our lives
that risk pulling us away from God. Observe that Jesus was a person who
allowed his relationship with God to be the most important thing in his
life. This led many people to have faith in him as the Son of God.
However, not everyone could recognize this about Jesus. Read today's
Gospel, Mark 6:1-6. Ask: Who does not recognize Jesus as God's Son in
this Gospel? (some of his kinfolk in Nazareth) Observe that because of
the people's lack of faith, Jesus could not perform many miracles in
Nazareth. Conclude by praying together that our families will continue
to help us follow God in our lives. Pray together the Prayer for
Vocations.


Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings