Daily Gospel Reflection
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September 2, 2019
Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’”
And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
I grew up in a town that was the butt of jokes. For most folks, my community was a place off Highway 99 to speed through in order to escape the smell of soil and cows. Times are changing. These days, my hometown makes national news as the most up-and-coming city in California and is celebrated as affordable, attractive, and booming with opportunity. When my wife and I fly back to visit, I often fail to recognize my home in the midst of new housing developments, trendy bars and restaurants, and freshly paved crosstown roads.
And yet, no matter how much it changes, that dusty town will always serve as a place of rest for me. Upon my return, I’m consistently embraced by the love of an ever-growing family and feelings of safety and confidence.
Today, we see Jesus, in the very beginning of his public ministry, return to his hometown of Nazareth – a town that also served as the butt of jokes. I can’t help but think that Jesus, in a very human way, desired a safe and loving place to begin the long journey that would eventually lead to the cross. I sure would.
While the folks of Nazareth wanted the benefits of the Messiah’s power, they weren’t interested in an authentic relationship with “Joseph’s son,” the hometown boy who grew up poor and lowly. Jesus anticipates their demands of miracles and displays of power and sadly recognizes that his love, the love that flows from God, would be unwanted. Even in Nazareth. Even at home.
So today, let’s consider what we want from Jesus. Do we desire only miracles and earthly power or are we open to witnessing the love of the Father? What does that love look like? Let’s examine our relationship with our homes, community members and families. For as Christ revealed, this transformative love isn’t just out in some faraway place. It can find us right at home.
Prayer
Lord, how quickly the people would change their opinion of you. Sometimes you were the hottest thing in town; the next day you were despised and threatened with your life. Regardless of the situation, you remained constant in your mission and clung to your Father’s faithfulness. Please give us the grace to live with purpose and to believe in your presence even when loneliness may seem our only companion.
Saint of the Day
St. Maxima was a house servant and nanny to a family of imperial nobility in ancient Rome. She was given responsibility for caring for the family’s son, Ansanus, and she secretly baptized him as a child and raised him as a Christian.
When he was 19, Ansanus’ own father denounced him as a Christian during a persecution. Ansanus boldly admitted his faith, and both he and Maxima were beaten and scourged; Maxima died from these wounds. Ansanus survived, and escaped Rome and fled north.
As he traveled, he told those he met the good news of Jesus Christ, and baptized so many people in the region near Siena that he became known as Ansanus the Baptizer. He was finally captured and beheaded by order of the emperor.
St. Ansanus is known as the Apostle of Siena and is that city’s patron saint; his feast day is December 1. The relics of St. Maxima rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Maxima, you were the nanny who was martyred for raising a saint—pray for us!