Homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B)
Based
on Mk 6:1-6 (Gospel), Ezk 2:2-5 (First Reading) and 2 Cor 12:7-10 (Second
Reading)
From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”
A PROPHET REJECTED
“A prophet is only despised in his own
country, among his own relations and his own house” (Mk 6:4).
The gospel reading is based on Mk 6:1-6. Verse 1 says: Going
from that district, he went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him.
Parallel texts are:
a.
Mt 13:53-58 - When Jesus had finished
these parables he left the district (v. 53); and, coming to his home town,m
he taught the people in the synagogue in such a way that they were astonished
and said, ‘Where did the man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? (v.
54) This is the carpenter’s son, surely? Is not his mother the woman called
Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Jude? (v. 55) His
sisters, too, are they not all here with us? So where did the man get it all?’
(v. 56) And they would not accept him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is
only despised in his own country and in his own house’ (v. 57), and he did not
work many miracles there because of their lack of faith (v. 58). Footnote m says: “Nazareth, where he lived as a child, cf.
2:23”.
b.
Lk
4:16-30 - Jesus at Nazarethg
He came to Nazarah where he had been brought up, and went
into the synagogue on the Sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read,i
(v. 16) and they handed him the scroll on the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the
scroll he found the place where it is written (v. 17): The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He
has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,j to proclaim liberty to captives and to the
blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free (v. 18), to proclaim the Lord’s year of favor (v. 19). He then rolled up
the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the
synagogue were fixed on him (v. 20). Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text
is being fulfilled today even as you listen’ (v. 21). And he won the approval
of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.
They said, ‘This is Joseph’s son, surely? (v. 22). But he replied, ‘No doubt
you will quote me saying, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ and tell me, ‘We have
heard all that happened in Capernaum,k do the same here in your own
countryside’’ (v. 23). And he went on, ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country (v. 24).
‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s days, when
heaven remained shut for three years and
six months and a great famine raged throughout the land (v. 25), but Elijah was
not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian
town (v. 26). And in the prophet Elishah’s time there were many lepers in
Israel, but none of these were cured, except the Syrian, Naaman (v. 27).’ When
they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. (v. 28). They sprang to their feet and
hustled him ut of the town; then they took him up to the brow of the hill their
town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff (v. 29), but he
slipped through the crowd and walked away (v. 30). Footnote g
–says: “Apparently this passage combines
three visits: the first, vv. 16-22 (Jesus us honored), occurring at the time
indicated by Mt 4:13; the second, vv. 23-24 (Jesus astonishing his audience),
the visit of which Mt and Mk speak; the third, vv. 25-30 (the life of Jesus
threatened), not mentioned by Mt or Mk and to be placed towards the end of te
Galilean ministry. In this way Lk presents an introductory tableau which is a
summary and symbol of Christ’s great offer and of its contemptuous rejection by
his own people”; Footnote h says: “Rare form of the name ‘Nazareth’”; Footnote i says “The director of a synagogue could authorize
any adult Jew to read the scripture lesson in public.” Footnote
j says: “Add. ‘’to heal
the broken-hearted’, cf. LXX”; and Footnote k says: “i.e., the miracles of which Lk does not
speak until after the visit to Nazareth, 4:33, etc.”
Verses 2 and 3 say: With the coming of the Sabbath
he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they
heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that
he has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This
is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseta
and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us? And he would
not accept him. Footnote a says: “Var. ‘Jose’ or ‘Joseph’.”
Parallel text for verse 3 are:
a.
Mk 15:40 - There were some women watching
from a distance. Among them were Mary of Magdala. Mary who was the mother of
James the younger and Joset, and Salome.f Footnote f says
“Probably the woman whom Mt (27:56) calls
‘the mother of the sons of Zebedee’.”
b.
Mt 12:46 - He was still speaking to the
crowds when his mother and his brothers appeared; they were standing outside
and were anxious to have a word with him.o Footnote n says “Not Mary’s children but near relations,
cousins perhaps, which both Hebr and Aramaic style ‘brothers’, cf. Gn
13:814:16; 29:15; Lv 10:4; 1 Ch 23:22f”; and Footnote o –says “v. 47 (‘Someone said to him: Your mother and
brothers are standing outside and want to speak to you’) is omitted by some
important textual witnesses. It is probably a restatement of v. 46 modeled on
Mk and Lk.”
c.
Jn 6:42 - ‘Surely this is Jesus son of Joseph’ they
said. ‘We know his father and mother.
How can he now say “I have come down from heaven’?’
Verses 4 and 5 say: And Jesus said to them, ‘A
prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and his
own house’; and he could work no miracle there though he cured a few sick
people by laying his hands on them.
Parallel texts are:
a.
Mk 7:32 - And they brought him a deaf man
who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him.
b.
1 Tm 4:14 - You have in you a spiritual
gift which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the body of elders laid
their hands on you;d do not let it lie unused. Footnote d
says “Lit. ‘a spiritual gift given by
means of prophecy with imposition of hands by the body of elders’. The ‘imposition
of hands’ can be the rite for transmitting grace or a charism, Heb 6:2, or it
can be the gesture used when blessing, Mt 19:15, or curing, Mt 9:18p; 17; 28:8,
or imparting the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, Ac 1:5+. It can also be the
rite for consecrating a person for a particular public function, Ac 6:6; 13:3,
as in this passage and 5:22+; 2 Tm 1:6. Since the day on which he received the
imposition of hands, Timothy has had a permanent charism (‘grace-gift’) that
consecrates him to his ministry. For the part played by the ‘prophets’, cf. 1Tm
1:18.”
c.
Mt 8:10 - When Jesus heard this he was
astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in
Israel have I found faith b like this. Footnote b – says: “The
faith that Jesus asks for from the outset of public life (Mk. 1:15) and
throughout his subsequent career, is that act of trust and self-abandonment by
which people no longer rely on their own strength and policies but commit
themselves to the power and guiding word of him in whom they believe (Lk. 1:20,45; Mt. 21:25p,32). Christ asks for
this faith especially when he works his miracles (8:13; 9:2p; 22p, 28-29;
15:28; Mk 5:36p;10:52p; Lk 17:19) which are not so much acts of mercy as signs
attesting his mission and witnessing to the kingdom (8:3+; cf. Jn 2:11+), hence
he cannot work miracles unless he finds the faith without which the miracle
lose their true significance (13:58p; 12;38-39; 16:1-4). Since the faith
demands the sacrifice of the whole man, mind and heart, it is not an easy act
of humility to perform; many decline it, particularly in Israel (8:10p; 15:28;
27:42p; Lk 18;8), or are half-hearted (Mk 9;24; Lk 8;13). Even the disciples
are slow to believe (8:26p; 14;31; 18;8; 17:20p) and are still reluctant after
the resurrection (28;17; Mk 16:11-14; Lk 24;11,25,41). The most generous faith
of all, of the ‘Rock’ (16:16-18), the disciples’ leader, was destined to the
shaken by the outrage of the Passion (26:69-75p) though it was to triumph in
the end (Lk 22:32). When faith is strong it works wonders (17:20p; 21:21p; Mk
16:17) and its appeal is never refused (21:22p; Mk 9:23) especially when it
asks for forgiveness of sin (9:2p; Lk 7:50) and for that salvation of which it
is the necessary condition (Lk 8;12; Mk 16:16, cf. Ac 3:16+).”
Verse 6 says: He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Parallel text is Mt 8:10 that says: When Jesus heard
this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly,
nowhere in Israel have I found faith b like this. Please see footnote for Mt 8:10 as
above.
The First Reading is taken Ezk 2:2-5. The first
verse, v. 2 of this scripture says: As he said these words the spirit came into
me and made me stand up, and I heard him speaking to me.
Parallel text of this verse is Ezk 3:24, that says:
The spirit of Yahweh then entered me, and
made me stand up, and spoke to me.
Verses 3 and 4 say: He said, ‘Son of man, I am
sending you to the Israelites, to the rebelsc who have turned
against me. The sons are defiant and
obstinate; I am sending you to them, to say, “The Lord Yahweh says this”. Footnote c says “‘to
the rebels’ Greek.”
Last verse is verse 5 that says: Whether they
listen or not, this set of rebels shall know there is a prophet among them.
Parallel texts are:
a.
Son of man, you are living with that set
of rebels who have eyes and never see, ears and never hear, for they are a set
of rebels.
b.
When the thing takes place- and it is
beginning now- they will learn that there has been a prophet among them.
c.
You may say in your heart, “How are we to
know what word was not spoken by Yahweh?’d (v. 21) When a prophet
speaks in the name of Yahweh and the thing does not happen and the word is not
fulfilled then it has not been spoken by Yahweh. The prophet has spoken with
presumption. You have nothing to fear from him (v. 22). Footnote d says “Distinction between true and false prophet
was urgent problem (1 K 22; Jr 28). Two criteria are offered: loyalty to the
religion of Israel, cf. Dt 13, and fulfillment of the prediction, 18:22. See
Introduction to the Prophets.”
d. But
the prophet who prophesies peace can only be recognized as one truly sent by
Yahweh when his word comes true.d Footnote d says “In stating that the genuine prophet foretells disaster, Jeremiah
implicitly refers to the sinful conduct of the nation, always condemned by the
true prophets. On the criteria of genuine prophecy, see Introduction to the
Prophets.”
The Second Reading is from 2 Cor 12:7-10.
Verse 7 says: In view of the extraordinary nature of these
revelations, to stop me from getting too
proud I was given a thorn in the flesh,d an angel of Satan to beat me and stop me from
getting too proud! e Footnote d
says “Perhaps a disease with severe and
unforeseeable attacks; perhaps the resistance of Israel, Paul’s brothers
according to the flesh’, to the Christian faith”; Footnote e – says
“O. ‘or I might get too proud’. Possibly
also the beginning of v. 7 ‘and for fear…make me too proud’ should be read as
the conclusion of v. 6. The clause is awkwardly phrased and the text critically
uncertain”.
Verse 8 says: About this thing, I
have pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me;
Parallel text is Mt 26:39, 42, 44 that says: And
going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed. ‘My Father,’ he said
‘if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you,
not I, would have it’n (v. 39). Again, a second time, he went away
and prayed: ‘My Father,’ he said ‘if this cup cannot pass by without my
drinking it, your will be done!’ (v. 42).
Leaving them there, he went away again and prayed for the third time,
repeating the same words (v. 44).
Footnote n says “Jesus
feels the full ‘force of the human fear of death; he feels the instinctive urge
to escape, gives expression to it and then stifles it by his acceptance of the
Father’s will.”
Verse 9 says: but he has said, ‘My grace is enough
for you; my power is at its best in weakness’. So I shall be very happy to make
my weakness my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me,
Parallel texts are:
a.
Mt 4:7 - Jesus said to him, ‘Scripture
also says: You must not put the Lord your God to the test’.
b.
Rm 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the
Good News; it is the power of God saving all who have faithi
c.
Rm 5:3 - But that is not all we can boast
about; we can boast about our suffering. These sufferings bring patience, as we
know…
Verse 10 says: And that is why I am quite content
with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies
I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.
Parallel texts are:
a.
Col 1:24 - It makes me happy to suffer for
you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all
that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. m Footnote
m says “Lit. ‘all that is lacking from the
sufferings of Christ…Church’. Jesus suffered in order to establish the reign of
God, and anyone who continues his work must share this suffering. Paul is not
saying that he thinks his own sufferings increase the value of his redemption
(since that value cannot be increased) but that he shares by his sufferings as
a missionary in those that Jesus had undergone in his own mission, cf. 2 Co.
1:15, Ph. 1:20+. These are the sufferings predicted for the messianic era, Mt.
24:8, Ac. 14:22 , 1 Tm.
4:1+, and are all part of the way n which God had always intended the Church to
develop. Paul feels that, being the messenger Christ has chosen to send to the
pagans, he has been especially called on to experience those sufferings.”
b. There
is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength.
How could one know if a teacher of religion, a
prophet, or a man of God, including his religion, are from God or not?
1.
There is an expressed order from God that every man
should be tested, Sir. 27:7, or every spirit, 1 Jn. 4:1-6, Apo. 2:2. The reason
for this is the one found in 1 Kg. 22:21.
2.
A teacher that is truly from God is the one
whose teachings do not come from mere man but from God itself, Job 32:13; Jer.
8:8; Jn. 7:14-19; 1 Co. 2:1-16, 4:1-5; Ga. 1:1-2, 11-12; 1 Jn. 2:27.
3.
What are the teachings that are from God? God
does not lie, Bil. 23:19; 2 Sam. 7:28; Jos. 21:45; 23:14-15; Job. 23:12-13; Is.
55:10-11; Jer. 5:3; Ezk. 12:25,28; Hab. 2:3; Tal 30:5-6; Zac. 1:2; Jn. 17:17;
Rom.11:29; 2 Tim. 2:13-15; Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18; Jas. 1:17-18; Jn. 8:45; 1 Jn.
2:11; Is. 25:1; Ps. 31:6.
4.
He is not like man who is a liar, Nu. 23:19; 1
Sam. 15:29; Job 9:32; Ps. 5:8-9, 10:7, 12:2, 14:1-3, 31:18, 63:11, 55:20-21,
32:3; 116:11, 140:3; Sir. 19:16; Is. 28:15,17 ; 59:3-4,13; Jer. 5:1; 9:2,7; Ez.
13; Ho. 12:1-2; Mi. 7:2; Rom. 3:13; 1 Tim. 4:2; Jas. 3:2, 14-15; 1 P. 1:14; Micah
6:12.
5.
Satan is a liar, Gen. 3:1,5; 1 Kg. 22:21; Wis.
1:4; Jn. 8:44; Rom. 16:19-20; 2 Tes. 2:9-12; 1 Tim. 4:1,2; Jas. 3:15, 4:7; 1 P.
5:8; Apo. 20:2; Mt. 5:37; Job 1:8-11, 2:1-5.
6.
What is lying?: Pr. 12:18,22, 14:5,25, 26:28;
Sir. 20:24-25; Mt. 5:37.
7.
A righteous man do not go back to what he
already said or uttered, Ps. 17:1,4, 55:20-21; Pr. 4:1-3,11, 8:8, 13:5, 30:8;
Ps. 15:2,4; Heb. 2:4; Rom. 11:29; Job 6:28,30; Sir. 14:1; 19:16. 1 Tes.
5:21-22; Heb. 10:37; Jas. 1:26.
8.
The teacher who is of God, Sir. 37:22-26; Tal.
1:1; 4:2; 30:6-7; Qo. 5:5; Is. 6:5-13; Jer. 1:9; Ezk. 16:17-18; 1 Co. 2:1-16,
4:1-2, 14:36-38; 2 Co. 2:17, 3:5, 4:5, 6:3; 1 Tim. 4:4-16; 6:3-12; 2 Tim.
2:15-26; 4:1-5; 3:14-17; Titus 1:7-8; 2 P 3:16-17; 2:1f; 2 Jn 10; 1 Tes.
5:12-13; 1 P. 4:11 (2 Kg. 4, 5:15-16), Am. 7:12-15.
9.
Teachers who are not of God, 1 Kg. 22:21-23;
Jer. 5:13-14,31, 8:8-92; Lam. 2:14; Micah 2:6-11; 3:5-8 (Is. 9:14) Micah 3:11
(1 Sam. 9:7-8; Nu. 24:10-14; 1 Kg. 14:3; 13:15-22; 2 Kg 4:42-44; 5:15-16,
20-27; 8:7-15), Jer. 23:21-40. Sal. 62:4; Job 9:20; Mt. 23:1-39; 24:23-24; Acts
20:30; Rm. 16:17-19; 1 Tim 4:1-3, 6:3-10; 2 Tim. 3:1-13; 2 P. 2:1-3, 12-22; Lk.
11:37-53.
10.
In Deut. 13:2-6, there are two criteria to know
if a prophet, or a man of God, comes from God or not: First, his words are
fulfilled, Dt. 18:21-22, 1 Sam. 9:6, Jer. 28:9; Second, he does not teach
falsely or lie, Jer. 23-13-17,23-40. 27:10. 28:15-16, 14:14. 19:31-32, Lam.
2:14. 2 p. 2:1-3. 1 Jn. 4:6 Jds. 4:11-19.
11.
Performing a miracle is not a sure sign of a prophet
who is from God, Mt. 24:24, 2 Tes. 2:9-12, Apo. 13.
12.
The punishment for false prophets or false
teachers, Jr. 15:14-16, Mi. 3:7, Ezk. 7:26. Apo. 20:10; but if a prophet
performs his duties and obligations to teach but the people do not follow or
accept his words, Ez. 3:16-21, 33:7-9;
Jr. 6:16-19, Ho. 8:1-3.
13.
The rewards for true prophets and the curse for
false prophets who are from the Devil, Lk 6:22-23,26 Mt 5:11-12, Ws. 2:10-20:
Mt 23:31-32, Phil. 1:24. Col. 1:24, Heb 10:34-36. Jas. 1:2-4.
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