Can you submit to Love?

 

‘LORD, THAT I MAY SEE.’

A SHORT COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF THE DAY.

Gospel

Mark 6:1-6

'A prophet is only despised in his own country'

1.      Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him.

2.      With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him.

3.      They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him?

4.      This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’

5.      And they would not accept him.

6.      And Jesus said to them,

7.      ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house’;

8.      and he could work no miracle there,

9.      though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them.

10.  He was amazed at their lack of faith.

 

 

It was his own village. Jesus had lived here for thirty years. Everybody knew him. He had worked there for years as a casual labourer. It was no one special. But now he is. His fame has spread over the whole district and beyond. He preaches with authority and works miracles of healing, such as no one has ever seen before.

They would not accept him. Why? Was it envy? He is just one of us. They could not accept that God was speaking through him. That they should listen to him and submit to his teaching. ‘he’s just an ordinary guy, no better than us.’

Their hearts were hardened and they rejected him.  He could do nothing for them. It is another example of a missed opportunity and what an opportunity too.

Can Jesus do anything for us? There is a great miracle he wants to work and that is to bring us close to himself, to fill us with his spirit and become so close in friendship and love that we become his living image. Through us he will work miracles of love for those around us. Are our hearts hardened too? Will we entrust ourselves to him, submit ourselves to him? If we do, then he will work this greatest of all miracles.