Jesus rejected by his neighbors

February 6, 2019
Wednesday,
4th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading:
Heb 12:4-7, 11-15
Gospel: Mk 6:1–6

Jesus returned to his own country and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, he began teaching in the synagogue, and most of those who heard him were astonished. They commented, “How did this come to him? What kind of wisdom has been given to him that he also performs such miracles? Who is he but the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joset and Judas and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here among us?” So they took offense at him.And Jesus said to them, “Prophets are despised only in their own country, among their relatives and in their own family.” And he could work no miracles there, but only healed a few sick people by laying his hands on them…

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

The Jews have judged Jesus as an impostor pretending to be the Messiah for personal gain. Biased? But aren’t all human judgments prejudiced? It doesn’t matter that judgment is biased; human judgments are never precise, anyway! What is material is the side to which the judgment bends. The judgment of a truthful man leans to the side of justice, while that of an evil man towards self gain. The judgment of a man of God leans towards faith, while that of a man of the forces of darkness leans more towards evil.

In today’s Gospel, the judgment of the Jews in regard to Jesus did not lean towards justice. They kept harping over the fact that he was just the guy next door and so deprived him recognition of his identity as Messiah. Neither did their judgment on Jesus lean towards faith in him. Had they given him the benefit of the doubt they would have discovered how privileged they were of having a Messiah for a neighbor. Benefit of the doubt, in this context, is bias in favor of faith.

In interpreting the Bible we need to adopt a certain bias towards faith too. Take for example the Gospel verse mentioning Jesus’ brothers and sisters. Some Protestant sects claim that this verse proves that Mary had children other than Jesus. The Catholic Church, however, claims that this verse refers to blood relatives of Jesus. (The Orthodox Church supports this stand). Offhand, faith should already dispose us to listen to the side of the Catholic Church because it was to Peter, the head of the Catholic Church that the keys of the kingdom of heaven were given and the power to interpret was entrusted.

If every judgment must involves a certain degree of bias, let that bias be towards faith, so that we get greater chances of arriving at conclusions beneficial to the soul. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M. Email: [email protected].

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