09/07/2006 - FOURTEENTH SUNDAY of ORDINARY TIME - Year B
First Reading Ezekiel 2:2-5 Psalm 122/123
Second Reading 2Corinthians 12:7-10 Gospel Mark 6:1-6
Today's Psalm transforms the behaviour of the prophet, of Jesus and of His
Apostle to prayer. "Our eyes are fixed on the Lord...Have mercy...We have
had more than enough of contempt!" The prophet was sent by God to speak
to those who will listen. How difficult! He must pronounce the Word of God,
that same Word which already know, but do not wish to obey. The only effect
of such news will be the fact that, at least, they will know that God has not
forgotten to exist, that God will always be their God, even if He needs to be
the judge and punish them for their disobedience! They will know that God is
still able to reach them with His Word: if they choose to listen, they will
know that they can do it!
Jesus is in the same situation as the prophet; better yet, He is in an even
clearer situation. Besides the fact that He is known by the spoken Word of God,
He can also be recognized as having been sent by the Father because of the works
He accomplishes. His hands perform wonders which have never been equalled. Everyone
recognizes Him, and everyone recognizes that from His mouth, comes such wisdom
as never heard before. Even so, their hearts are closed. Who believes in Him?
Who takes His words as being the words of God? They know Him; better yet, through
Him, they know some facts of life: they know that He is one of them, they know
how He works, his habits, His way of reacting, His tastes; they know His relatives,
the stamp of His voice and the engraving of His steps. The wisdom and the marvels
of His hands are not enough because those who know Him realize that He is an
instrument of the love of the Father! Actually, the signs would be more than
enough, but their hearts are not sufficiently humble.
Jesus is not surprised: He recognizes that He is shares the difficulties of
the prophets. It is particularly those whom He loves greatly, and who know Him
best, that move away from His heart and His faith. By doing this, He cannot
give them all that He would like; He cannot give them His life, the deepest
joy that the small and the simple receive from Him. In order to help them, He
still accomplishes many wonders, in their midst; yet they remain firm in their
unbelief.
You are surprised by the people of Nazareth! If you think about it, possibly
you, too, are behaving in the same way! Does God, in His wisdom, perhaps, not
come close to you through someone that you know, a friend or relative, or a
priest? Have you never seen the wonders of the goodness of the Father? Why do
you not take their words seriously? Why not make some changes to move towards
keeping these people close, so that you may benefit more fully from the Word
of you Lord?
The prophet who realizes that he is not being heard suffers; he suffers because
of the stubbornness of those who do not wish to hear the Word of God, but also
because he feels rejected, alienated, marginalized. This suffering is shared
by many priests, who feel the weight of rejection which many so-called Christians
have for the Gospel and the Church; that is, for the fullness of the light and
grace of God. It is a suffering which could become temptation. They, in fact,
become discouraged. But, even when many listen willingly to their pronouncement
of the Word, they may be trapped by temptation: particularly that of pride and
vanity. The same Apostle Paul realized that temptation might have ruined his
life and his ministry, and so, accepted weakness and suffering from illness
as grace. He realized that such suffering was brought to him by "a messenger
from Satan"; yet, he accepted it as a precious instrument from which the
mercy of the Father might be served: he would have remained humble servant of
God, continually in need of His grace. And, above all, his weakness would have
been the true place from which the power of the Lord could be displayed! If
our presence and our word, when we are weak and tired, without those talents
which are attractive to human beings, are able to reap benefit to Jesus, it
means that He, Himself, is in the works! That is why St. Paul is so eager to
accept the weakness, the persecution, and the insults which put him in bad light.
In these situations, the Lord can show His own capacity to draw all men to Himself,
through the Cross. The Apostle, therefore, concludes: "Whenever I am weak,
it is then, that I am strong"!
Let us keep our eyes turned to the Lord so that we can see His will, as the
Psalm suggests. He knows what is good for us and what will serve His Kingdom!
Let us obey Him, and He will behave with all the freedom of His love and He
will use us in every situation, in sickness and in health, in prosperity and
in destitution. If we obey Him, nothing will hinder Him in manifesting in us,
and through us, His wisdom and His love.