Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 30, 2022
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.
Expectation: it can be the thief of joy, the root of all heartache, and the mother of all frustration. No doubt the people in the synagogue in today’s reading would agree with these descriptions.
According to Jesus, their long wait was over. Jesus had come to rule and redeem the Jewish people. Surely, they expected, the Messiah would work miracles in his hometown among his friends and neighbors. After all, he had performed miracles for the Gentiles. Wouldn’t Jesus do the same for his fellow Jews in Nazareth, if not more? I can sympathize with the people in the synagogue and their frustration when Jesus squashed their expectations.
It’s such a human tendency to expect a reward for remaining close to God or for what we deem good behavior. How often have I prayed for a specific outcome and expected that because I believe I put in enough time and effort, God will provide me with what I’ve requested?
Today’s reading reminds us to be humble and not impose expectations on God. God has a bigger plan than anything we can imagine. While we may not be instantly gratified with rewards here on earth, our faith tells us God is good. Our reward will be great in heaven if we are faithful to carry out his will of love to the best of our abilities.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, we know that your rejection by your neighbors at Nazareth is the first whisper leading to the Cross. Help us to see you not just where we expect to, but to see you revealed in the most unlikely places and in the most unlikely people. We make this prayer in your name. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Though she had entered the convent, St. Hyacinth had no intention of living as a nun. The story of her conversion is a lesson in prayer and grace.
She was born in 1585 in Italy to a family of Italian nobles. She was a troublesome child, frivolous and overly superficial, so her parents placed her in a Franciscan monastery for her education.
She had her heart set on marriage with an Italian noble, but was passed over for a younger sister, and she became severely depressed. She decided to join the community at the monastery, and took on the name Sister Hyacintha. Secretly, she did this only to hide her disappointment, not to enter into the life of prayer and sacrifice of the nuns there.
She remained there as a nun for ten years, but had no real enthusiasm for life as a nun. In fact, she refused the fasting and mortifications that others in her community committed to, and even used her personal wealth to bring comforts and luxuries to her room. She kept a kitchen in her room so she could prepare her own meals and wore a habit of the finest material. She received visitors and came and went as she pleased.
Still, while she remained ambiguous about her vows, she was faithful to a regular life of personal prayer. Finally, she was touched by God’s grace and inspired to give herself to the life that she had found herself in.
One day, she fell very sick, and her confessor brought Communion to her in her room. When he discovered the way she was living, he earnestly encouraged her to live more humbly.
She took his advice seriously and made a public confession of her faults to the other nuns. She discarded her luxurious garments and wore an old habit and went about barefoot. She frequently fasted, volunteered for the most menial tasks in the convent, and replaced her bed with bare boards. Her spirituality and devotion began to focus on Mary, the sufferings of Christ, and the Eucharist.
By her example, she became an inspiration to sisters in her community and an excellent mentor for young novices. She soon became known for the gifts of prophecy and for working miracles. Her prayer life was set aflame and she was consumed with love of God. During an epidemic in the area, she heroically cared for the sick, and she established organizations that helped the poor, the aged who were too sick to beg, and the imprisoned.
When she died in 1640, great crowds gathered for her funeral. Her relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Hyacinth, you were the nun who lived a secret life of luxury until you were touched by God’s grace, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Hyacinth is in the public domain. Last accessed November 22, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
