Memorial of Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr
A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown. Jesus was something of a rock star as he began his earthly ministry, bringing shock and awe to the multitudes by his healing miracles and prophetic teaching. To those in Nazareth, however, he was just Mary and Joseph’s boy. I can just hear the townsfolk remarking, we knew him when he was knee high . . . we watched him play with the other boys out in the street . . . we’ve seen him helping his dad in the carpenter shop . . . In his hometown, Jesus was a familiar neighbor, just one of the guys. What about us? Do we come to Jesus with a sense of awe and wonder, or with a familiarity that can sometimes hinder our faith?
Our Gospel text begins with Jesus returning to his hometown, along with the disciples. St Mark recounts, When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. The people go on to rave about the incredible things they had witnessed, and their amazement over who their hometown boy had become. As I read today’s passage, I was caught up in that phrase, and many who heard him were astonished. We come to Mass each week and encounter Jesus. We encounter him in the Word, in the Eucharist, in the gathered Body, in the ministry of the priest. How many times are we astonished by what we witness in the Mass? And yet wouldn’t it make sense that we would be?! God’s Word is astonishing! The Eucharist is indescribably wondrous! It’s amazing that we get to gather together as the Body of Christ, recognizing Jesus in each other. How marvelous that God anoints our priests in the Sacrament of Ordination to celebrate the Sacraments in persona Christi! It’s all astonishing! Today, let us pray and ask God to help us come to every Mass with that sense of awe and wonder, with holy astonishment, with a fervent desire not just to be amazed but to be transformed by the Risen Christ so powerfully present and active. I wonder sometimes if our familiarity gets in the way of our reverence. Perhaps our familiarity with Jesus leads us to approach him too casually. Perhaps that familiarity actually impedes our faith.
St Mark tells us, So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. In many parts of the world, for example in Africa, healing miracles and revival movements take place today in extraordinary numbers. I believe these phenomena are prevalent in locations where the people are starving for God and confidently expect that God will work miracles. Perhaps we don’t see thousands coming to faith in Jesus or multitudes experiencing healing because our skepticism is stronger than our faith. Jesus’ inability to perform any mighty deed in Nazareth was not because he was incapable. His divinity was just as real and present there. Unbelief and skepticism shield us from receiving the power of God in our lives. Today, let us pray like the father whose son Jesus delivered from demon possession, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24). May God give us the graces today to grow in holy astonishment and to grow in faith and confidence in the power of God. Amen!