Jeremiah 1:4-5,17-19
The Lord assures Jeremiah that he will deliver him from all who fight
against him.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 71:1-2,3-4,5-6,15,17
A song in praise of God's salvation
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 12:31—13:13 (shorter form, 1 Corinthians 13:4-13)
Paul describes love as the greatest of virtues.
Gospel Reading
Luke 4:21-30
Jesus is rejected in his hometown of Nazareth.
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying:
"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?"
He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb,
'Physician, cure yourself,' and say,
'Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'"
And he said, "Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built,
to hurl him down headlong.
But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.
Background on the Gospel Reading
This Sunday we read from the Gospel of Luke, continuing immediately from
last week's Gospel. Recall that in last Sunday's Gospel, Jesus read from
the prophet Isaiah and announced that this Scripture was now fulfilled. In
today's Gospel, we learn that the people of Nazareth are impressed by
Jesus' words, and yet they seem surprised. They still think of Jesus as
merely Joseph's son. They do not expect such words from someone they
believe that they know.
This Gospel is about who Jesus is and who people believe him to be. The
story of Jesus' preaching and rejection at Nazareth is found in each of
the Synoptic Gospels. In Luke's Gospel, this incident is told in a way
that foretells Jesus' passion and death and helps explain the inclusion of
the Gentiles in the promise of salvation. In Luke's Gospel this incident
appears at the beginning of Jesus' ministry; in Matthew and Mark, this
event is placed considerably later, after Jesus has preached and taught
elsewhere. Only Luke identifies the content of Jesus' teaching in any
detail, telling us that Jesus read from the book of the prophet Isaiah in
the synagogue. In Mark and Matthew's Gospels, Jesus teaches in the
synagogue in Nazareth, and the townspeople take offense because Jesus is
only the son of a carpenter. They reject his authority to teach them. In
Matthew and Mark, it is only after Jesus is rejected that he observes
times when Israel has rejected prophets.
In Luke's Gospel, the people are surprised but not immediately offended by
Jesus' words in the synagogue. It is the words that follow his reading
from the prophet Isaiah that seem to offend them. Jesus challenges and
provokes the people of Nazareth by referring to examples in which Israel
rejected the prophets. He also challenges them to respond to his message,
the message of a prophet, in a way that is different from their ancestors.
This call for a new response leads to his rejection.
It is helpful to consider the historical context of Luke's Gospel. Luke
has witnessed the acceptance of the gospel message among many Gentiles. He
endeavors to explain why the Good News of Jesus has not been as
well-received by his Jewish contemporaries. Luke's report interprets the
cause of Jesus' rejection at Nazareth in the context of this later
Christian history. Just as the people at Nazareth did not welcome the Good
News that Jesus announced, so too many among the people of Israel will not
accept the preaching of the gospel.
After Jesus' words of challenge, Luke reports that there was a movement to
kill Jesus by throwing him over a cliff. This differs from the reports
found in Mark and Matthew's Gospels, where Jesus is said to be unable to
perform miracles in Nazareth because of the people's lack of faith. Luke
says that Jesus walks away from the crowd that intended to kill him; it is
not yet his time. The animosity of the people of Nazareth prefigures and
prepares the reader of Luke's Gospel for the cross. Luke wants all to
understand that it is through his death on the cross that Jesus offers
God's salvation to all.
Family Connection
Jesus' statement that no prophet is accepted in his home town reminds us
that it is often difficult to hear a challenging message from those who
know us best, even if it is true. Perhaps we remember and even regret this
aspect of our childhood and adolescence. We may have overlooked the wisdom
and guidance of our parents, while allowing the voices of others—teachers,
friends, and counselors—to carry more weight, even when these people were
telling us the same thing. Perhaps this developmental stage is
unavoidable. Perhaps as we have matured, we have come to a new
appreciation for our parents and others whose perspective and experience
we once rejected. Today's Gospel provides an opportunity to talk about and
to learn from such experiences.
As you gather as a family, consider proverbs or other wise sayings that
are familiar to your family ("Blood is thicker than water;" "All that
glitters is not gold."). Consider what these proverbs mean and whether you
believe them to be true. Why or why not? Jesus challenges the people of
Nazareth by reminding them of old sayings that seem to have a lot of truth
in them. Let's listen to this Gospel and consider what these proverbs
mean. Read aloud today's Gospel, Luke 4:21-30. Ask: What were the proverbs
that Jesus quoted? (Physician, cure yourself; No prophet is accepted in
his native place.) Consider the meaning of these proverbs and look for
examples from your own family life that show their truth. Consider how
your family might accept one another's wisdom and guidance and not reject
the prophets in your midst. Conclude by praying together the Prayer to the
Holy Spirit.
Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings
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