Luke 4:21-30 (4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 31, 2016)

Gospel:

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.

Gospel Trivia:

The gospel passage happens right after Jesus’ entry into a synagogue in Nazareth.  The question in our minds is: why the sudden change in the mood and attitude of the people around Jesus.   Verse 22 says, “they spoke highly of him.”  But by verses 28-29, his own townmates were “all filled with fury” and were about to hurl him down a hill. 

What happened in between?

The answer to this question are in the following verses:

- Verse 22: “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” – In asking this question, the people meant that since Jesus is a fellow Nazarene (remember that this scene happens in Nazareth), then Jesus should favor those who are his townmates and perform the same miracles for them as he did in other towns.

- Verse 25 – 27: In these verses, Jesus cites the examples of two great prophets of Israel – Elijah and Elisha – who did not favor his fellow Israelites, regarded as God’s chosen people, but instead took the side of a widow in Sidon and Naaman the Syrian.  Both Sidon and Syria are Gentile (or pagan) territories!

Jeus disagreed with the Jewish mentality that God’s favor rests with the Jews simply because they were Jews.  The Kingdom of God is no longer limited to the Jews but to those who practice the gospel values of love and forgiveness, whether Jew or Gentile.  

Universality is a key message of Luke’s gospel.  God does not favor anyone on the basis of race, position, or religion, but “men and women of good will.”  

Mere membership in the Catholic Church (or Singles Apostolate, or in the Renewal movement) is not a badge which earns special favor from God.   That would be the “townmates mentality” that Jesus referred to in the Gospel. Rather, membership in our Church recognizes that membership poses a demand to share this personal experience of God by serving others.

Until we do, we do not deserve God's favor.

Reference:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Manila: St. Paul Publications, 1988), pp. 307-309.