Monday of the Third Week of Lent
Nearly any time that we meet someone new, we are generally asked three questions. First, “What’s your name?” Second, “What do you do?” And third, “Where are you from?” These questions seem to be how many people define us. And often, these questions are sometimes the standards by which we define ourselves. Considering the great depth and purpose for which God has created us, it’s amazing how we are so quick to limit our identity to just three short answers. (1) Ryan James Mahle; (2) Civil Engineer; and (3) Dayton, Ohio. Is this me? Is this my entire identity? Although very important and appropriate facts about our lives, we’re obviously much more than our name, what we do, or where we’re from. For instance, if I was no longer lived in the state of Ohio, would I still be Ryan Mahle? Of course! God has created us for more than these “three questions.”
In today’s Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus returns to his native town of Nazareth at the beginning of his public ministry. In response to the question, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” Jesus responds by saying that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place.” To explain Himself, Jesus refers to two people from the Old Testament. First, He refers to the widow of Zarephath to whom Elijah was sent during a three and a half year famine (her story is told in 1 Kings 17). When Elijah the prophet arrives at her door, she feeds him first using her last handful of flour before feeding herself and her son. Elijah tells the widow of Zarephath, “For the Lord God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry.” Faithful to His word, God provides for the widow of Zerephath as promised.
The second person that Jesus refers to in today’s Gospel is Naaman the Syrian, who is also showcased in today’s first reading from 2nd Kings. Naaman the Syrian is the army commander of the king of Aram, but he is also a leper. Seeking the healing of his leprosy, Nahaam is eventually sent word to come to the prophet Elisha. Elisha instructs Naaman to wash in the Jordan seven times in order to heal his flesh and to be made clean. First reluctant and even angry at such an odd request, Naaman’s servants reason with him to do as Elisha had instructed and he is healed of his leprosy.
So why does Jesus refer to the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian when explaining his own rejection upon his homecoming in Nazareth? Where is the commonality between these two characters? Well, in my opinion, the commonality lies in the fact that they were both quickly identified, even stereotyped, by where they are from. Because Naaman is from Syria and the commander of Israel’s opposing army, we would generally not expect that God would intervene in his life and reveal Himself to Naaman by healing him of his leprosy. Perhaps we would define him as: (1) Naaman; (2) Army commander; and (3) Syria. Similarly, the widow is from Zeraphath, which is a city in Zidon (close to where Lebanon is today). As a result, she would not have been considered to be one of the covenant children in Israel. Yet, despite where she is from, God reaches out to her through Elijah and provides food for both her and her child to eat.
Both Naaman and the widow from Zarephath are more than their name, what they do, and where they are from. Regardless of these facts, they are worthy of healing from God and to be fed by God because they are first children of God. God’s grace and his Kingdom have no physical boundaries and no worldly limitations. But as humans, we struggle to see beyond the “three questions” and to look deeper to see God’s presence in the heart of another human being. We may only know someone in terms of the “three questions”, yet we immediately determine that we have already figured them out- who they are and what they’re all about. This is exactly what the people in the synagogue do with respect to Jesus in today’s Gospel. (1) Jesus; (2) Carpenter; and (3) Nazareth. The people have already concluded that they know who Jesus is, what He is all about, and what He is capable of. Jesus realizes that because of their pre-disposition towards Him, they are unable to look deeper to see the very heart of God in their midst.
If we were asked to express who God is, what would we say? How would we characterize Him? What adjectives would we use to describe our infinite God? Would the answers to three questions be enough to truly know who God is or His love that “surpasses knowledge”? (Eph. 3:19). It’s easy to put limits on the identity of God- with our words, with our actions, and with our expectations. As disciples, we must remember that God is always bigger than our expectations, bigger than our sicknesses, bigger than our hungers, bigger than our sins, and bigger than the physical and emotional borders that we construct.
Finally, if we were asked to describe who we are, what would we say? Would we quickly revert to our standard answers to the “three questions”? As human persons, our identity can only be found in Christ. As we read in today’s Psalm, our souls thirst for the living God. Yet, it’s so easy to seek after anything and everything to define us and find our identity. But without Christ, who are we? As disciples, let’s strive today to live in the identity of our Lord Jesus and to look deeper to see the presence of God in our midst! Amen.
- Ryan J. Mahle