I looked for a common theme in today’s readings. The first refers to the mandate given to the prophet Ezekiel: he is to proclaim the Word of God to a rebellious people. Obstination stop the Israelites from listening to prophetic words that enlight and guide on the way of salvation. However God wants them to be aware that He didn’t abandon them, that He wants to speak to them, that a prophet is among them still.

Of a prophet amongst them, they will be aware when Jesus start to teach in the synagogues of Galilee. But even then obstination shall stop the people to accept and listen the Word of the Father.

Jesus speaks, his teaching is recognized as wise, his actions surprise all. However, the Gospel says that it was in Nazareth, the place where he was brought up, those who knew him, seem to have a problem in recognizing him. They had seen him working with his own hands, they live together with his brothers and sisters, that is, with his extended family, know well his mother, still they hesitate to accept what they saw and heard. If the signs had to be performed by an unkown person, or a foreigner had to speak in a wise way, they would have taught that he is the Messiah, would have believed him. But he is known to them and so they wont humble themselves before him and recognize his divine origin.

Jesus is surprised by such an "unbelief", and suffers inwardly as when one comes across an obstinate person. With obstinate persons one cannot build up neither confidence nor a relationship. To obstinate persons one cannot share the same interior richness. Jesus knows, as he said in another occasion that God keeps his secrets from those who think they are somebody, while manifest them to the simple and the little ones. In todays Gospel he stops at a proverb, which truth continues to be manifested: "A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house".

The obstination of the heart can find a lot of justifications for not accepting Jesus. It could bring forward several reasons so that the teaching of the Lord is rejected, even though one recognize his greatness and wisdom! I have heard more than one expressing his admiration for Jesus as a great person, wise, worthy…but didn’t know what to do with his teachings, didn’t want to hear about them. Obstination holds back those who are possessed by it to meet with Jesus, to love Him, to follow Him!

Even the Apostle Paul is scared of obstination. Writing to the Corinthians, he shares his personal experience. He attributes to God’s love an illness that makes him suffer very much. Why would God permits that "a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me" makes him suffer so much? Why would God, who many times had listened to him, didn’t listen to his continuous prayer to be freed from this pain so that he can proclaim the Gosple without any difficulty? This is the reason he himself makes: "to keep me from being too elated". The Apostle knows perfectly well that it is very easy for human beings to boast because of God’s gifts, even for the cause of the Gospel.

If he had to fall into obstination he would be an instrument of Satan, hence would not be able to produce fruit for God’s Reign! The pain of his illness obliges him to stay humble, in need of others, not trusting on his own ability, but trusting only God’s grace. Hence, blessed is also an illness that keeps us humble! If we have to realize something nice and divine, its not from us, but by God’s grace! God can show his beauty, his greatness, his power, thanks to our weakness and brokenness.

In today’s readings Ezekiel and Jesus help us to be aware of the obstination of heart and Paul offer us a practical example of a true and holy humility. The great mystics of the Egyptian desert teach us to put on the same attitude for it is indispensable for the Christian life. They say that humility is like a net on the ground that serves as a trap for our enemy! Our enemy is full of himself and shall never accept to live in a humble heart! Therefore we want to thank the Lord for our weaknesses, our poverty, even our limits! He is the Saviour!