Do I Know You?
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Luke 4:21-30 - Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, after having moved away to start His public ministry. In the time since He’s been back, His ministry has started to gain much notice, He is gathering crowds for His teachings, and He has been performing numerous miraculous works. So at His return to Nazareth, in the synagogue people are very attentive, very interested, very impressed. Jesus knows they are hoping to see Him do powerful wonders in Nazareth, like they’ve heard He has been doing in other places. But Jesus also knows that the reason they want Him to do powerful wonders is not because they believe in Him, that He is from God. Instead, we see in the Gospels, people often hoped to witness powerful works either to be amazed or to be healed of their illness. They are hoping only to receive something amazing from Jesus, but not to give Him anything, their faith, in return.
Jesus confronts His townspeople and neighbors about this problem. He does so by bringing up two stories of two great prophets in Israel’s history. In both these stories about the prophets Elijah and Elisha, the people who are helped by powerful wonders are not those of the same land, or even of the same religion, as the prophets. The people who are helped by powerful wonders are those who receive them with faith. Well, similarly to people in the Gospel from Nazareth, we today could be confronted by Jesus for acting the same way. We are more than willing to ask Jesus to give us what we want and need, but we are often less willing to give Him our faith and our obedience in return.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
Like Pier? Share it with others (via links below) / Subscribe to it (below) / Support (the mission)
