Friday of
the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Jeremiah
26:1-9; Matthew 13:54-58)
You Can’t Go Home
Again is the provocative title of a novel by novelist Tom Wolfe. The story describes the plight of a writer
who publishes a successful book about his hometown. When he returns to the town, he finds his
former neighbors upset with how he has portrayed them. Apparently it is not that they have changed
so much as it is he who changed. Now he sees
deep into reality to note people’s motives and desires. Jesus has a similar experience when returning
to Nazareth in today’s gospel passage.
Jesus, it can be assumed, tells the people of Nazareth
about his Father, God. This claim
disturbs his neighbors. “”Is he not the
carpenter’s son?’” they ask openly. Rather than heed what he says about God,
they dismiss his preaching as pretentious.
We must take care not to treat Jesus similarly. He is the Son of God who deserves our utmost
attention and obedience. He is not like
any other human being whose message in part is destined to be relativized. Rather his words will always resound with how
to live in harmony with the Father.
