Mon Mar 21, 2022

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A prophet's words are not welcomed by those with worldly hearts. Today's Scriptures show us what happens when prophecy meets worldliness. A worldly heart often wants to be impressed. It has a difficult time accepting greatness in the ordinary. In today's Gospel (Lk 4:24-30), Jesus has entered the synagogue at Nazareth where He grew up, and announced Himself as the fulfillment of Israel's messianic hopes. He has lived and laboured among the people as a humble carpenter. He has probably made yokes for their oxen, repaired their carts, worked on their furniture and agricultural tools. They know Him; He is Joseph's son. His life of holiness with Mary and Joseph has been hidden in humble day-to-day work and dealings with the community. When the people reject Him, He tells them they are no different from those who rejected the prophets and forced them to find acceptance with pagan foreigners. The people are infuriated; they drive Him out of town to do away with Him. The Father has different plans for Jesus, who “passed through the midst of them and went away.”

We see this same worldliness in Naaman the Syrian. He rejects Elisha the prophet's instruction to bathe seven times in the Jordan River to be cleansed of his leprosy. Naaman wants a mighty sign. He has to be convinced that God can heal him through something as ordinary as simple washing. He finally plunges seven times into the water, and emerges restored, now humbled and convinced that “there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.” (2Kg 5:1-15)

Psalm 42 provides us with a way to discern Godly voices from the worldly – to be attuned to the deepest longings of our soul: “As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God. Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?” Does my longing for human praise, human consolation or mighty signs and triumphant predictions sometimes outweigh my longing for the God who gives me these things? Our daily encounter with the living two-edged sword of God's word (See Hebrews 4:12) helps us discern the voice of God that beckons us forward from the depths of our hearts.

My God, thank You for calling me to abundant life through Christ. Help me to discern Your voice in the ordinary relationships and events of my life. Take my heart today with all its flaws and wayward inclinations. Come and heal, renew and shape my vision and understanding, that I might recognize and welcome Your prompting in people and things, great and small. I ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Link to Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032122.cfm 

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