Wednesday
of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time
February 3, 2016 8:30am
Jesus in today’s gospel seems to
be the victim of rather typical human dynamics.
As we grow up in a family and as
we become known by other relatives and classmates and people in the community,
we can get pretty much cast in a role.
So, we hear things like:
She’s a real brain.
He’s a clown.
So today we hear the people say
about Jesus: “He’s a carpenter’s son.”
In other words, he isn’t anyone
special.
He’s just a carpenter’s son.
In this and similar situations, what
happens is that casting one another in a role often boxes in the other person.
So here in today’s gospel, the
people are really saying: He’s just a carpenter’s son!
So where does he get all this
understanding and wisdom?
This can’t be for real.
Who does he think he is?
What happens is that the people
don’t move to any deeper or fuller understanding of Jesus.
They dismiss him; they write him
off.
They box him into a role or
expectation.
But in effect, by boxing him in,
they box themselves in.
They miss out on who he really is
and all he really has to offer.
So maybe the point for us today
is: Let’s make sure that we stay open to Jesus.
When he says some things that
make us a bit uncomfortable or challenge
us to change our ways or our thinking, let’s make sure that we don’t say
things like:
He didn’t intend what he said to
apply to me, in my situation.
Or, he was just speaking
idealistically and not practically.
Let’s make sure that we don’t box
Jesus in, because in doing that, we are really boxing ourselves in.
