But Jesus said to them,
matthew 13:57-58
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house.”
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.
Reflection
Jesus goes to his hometown to preach, but the people are astonished at him. They cannot believe where he got all his wisdom and so take offense at him. Jesus tells them a prophet is without honor in his own home, and he proceeds to not work mighty deeds because of their lack of faith.
Sometimes we are astonished that people close to us – family and friends – don’t believe in Christ like we do or refuse to be evangelized by us. Those closest to us should listen – they have trust in us. In this Gospel, Jesus clearly shows us the opposite. People he grew up with can’t believe what he is doing or saying. They are not convinced and have a lack of faith in him. While unfortunate, this happens to us as well.
We get discouraged that our evangelization efforts seem to fail, and this can sometimes hinder our spreading the Gospel to others. Let Jesus take care of those we can’t reach. We must pray for them and entrust them to Jesus’ care, even as we continue to evangelize elsewhere. Today, let us pray that people’s hearts are opened to Christ through his power and love.
Saint of the Day
St. Alphonsus Liguori: 1696 – 1787
“Let those who wish for them, seek other treasures; I want to remember only your goodness. Blessed Seraphim, I envy you, not for your glory, but for the love you have for our God. Teach me what I must do to love him and to please him.”
Visits to the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady, Visit 1, St. Alphonsus Liguori
The Healing Word 