A Reflection for the 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C).
Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19 – 1Corinthians 12:31-13:13 – Luke 4:21-30.
When people sit in front of their TVs to watch debates in the Houses of Parliament, they see grinning or unhappy faces and the shaking of heads in disagreement or nodding in agreement. There is always this polarity, this difference in viewpoints and in reactions to issues.
Last Sunday, the word of God called our attention to opening ourselves up to receiving the message of the Gospel, as did the people in Ezra’s day. That Gospel reading told us about Jesus reading the word of God from the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah. Today’s Gospel is a continuation of that passage, bringing out the polarity in the reaction of the people in His local synagogue. Their initial reaction to His preaching was favourable. They appreciated the way He spoke straightforwardly and with authority. But as soon as they understood that He was challenging them to tackle their hardness of heart, they rejected what he was saying to the point of being ready to do away with Him (v.29). They were not ready to invite the word of God to penetrate their hearts to make necessary changes in them; moreover, they were ready to put a stop whoever preached that same word. Until then they had been quite happy to listen to flowery and sugary interpretations of the promises of God, but they were not ready to take on board the word of God that draws humanity to make a real change of heart (cf. Jn 15:22).
In this Reflection, my focus is on the challenge of preaching the Good News. Jesus commented that no prophet is ever accepted in his own country (v.24). At that moment, He identified himself with the line of prophets who suffered rejection from their own people (Hos 9:7). He didn’t come into the world for people to hail and praise Him. He wasn’t interested in being a popular figure, in being just another “religious celebrity” like modern TV evangelists. Rather, He came to do His Father’s will (Jn 4:34).
In the 1st reading, when God called Jeremiah to the prophetic ministry, He prepared him for what lay ahead. God told Jeremiah to brace himself for action, to stand up and tell them (the nations) all God commanded him to say, and not to be dismayed in their presence (v.17). Jeremiah encountered opposition because people became uncomfortable when they were reminded of their sinfulness. Isaiah’s prophecies were those of hope because God was promising to restore His people if only they would turn to Him and put their full trust in Him. When Jesus declared that “This text [of Isaiah] is being fulfilled today even as you listen” (v.21), His statement was rejected, not only because the people knew Him as a local man, but primarily because they didn’t want to acknowledge their sins and turn to God for help.
It was as difficult in the time of Jeremiah to challenge evil within society, as it was in the days of Jesus and is in our day. Evil forces always fight back furiously when opposed. Sin always wants to retain its influence over us. It’s all too easy to be misunderstood if you dare to try to correct someone’s wrong behaviour or attitude, or to try to persuade someone going down the wrong path to change tack and so find their way to God. When we are the target of anger and revulsion, the temptation is to back off and to vow never again to be the one to try to offer assistance, even if it’s clear that people need help. “Once bitten, twice shy”, as the saying goes. But to buckle so easily is for us to fail to meet the challenge to live out the Christian life authentically.
Jesus’ ministry was full of instances when people rejected Him or were unhappy with Him. How come? Because He was not backwards in coming forward to put them right. Furthermore, His whole way of life was a critique of theirs. Despite their opposition, Jesus never considered going with the flow in order to be socially accepted. We can learn from Jesus how to be authentically Christian and to carry out our mission in our part of the world: these are accomplished not by words, but through the way we live out our lives.
Our mission is to stand with Christ against evil. He is perfect but we are not, and we have to make a stand against our personal weaknesses. It’s tempting to hold back from addressing those weaknesses adequately because making real change is hard. Whatever we do, though, we have to make sure that it is done in love. May I suggest that when you are helping someone, do it quietly, with love and for Love without sugar-coating it, and you will find that that’s the best way to draw that person to God. This is the point that St Paul was emphasising to the church in Corinth: that love should be the hallmark of every ministry into which God has called us. Love should be the principle underlying our words and actions. He reminded us that love does not come to an end (v.8) and that love is the greatest (v.13) of the three everlasting things. So let us continue to assist one another in love, to correct one another, instruct one another, (2Tim 4:2) and never to be deterred by any opposition to living out fully the Christian life.
There will be times when our faith will be sorely tested by other people and by our own weaknesses. At such times, turn to God and place your complete trust in His grace and mercy to lead you through to victory and peace. He promises us: I am with you to deliver you (1R v.19). God bless you.