of those who heard him were astonished. But they said, “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 Joses 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. Jesus himself was astounded at
their unbelief. Jesus then went around the villages, teaching.

Reflect

Rejection by those closest to you always hurts more than the rejection of strangers.
It can threaten your self-confidence, making you question your value, leading to
unimaginable pain. As today’s Gospel reminds us, no human experience is foreign
to Jesus. By becoming fully human, he shares in our hopes and fears, our joys and our
sorrows, even our pain.

As members of Christ’s Body, we are called to reach out in love to those who are hurt or
who question whether or not anyone cares about them. The invitation to love is present
throughout our lives. When we are young, we can invite the lonely children to join our
games. The teen years are especially difficult, so reaching out to those who seem different,
either as a peer or a trusted adult, can offer encouragement. Given the prevalence of teens
who die by suicide, such attention can literally be life-saving. Even as adults, our faith asks
us to extend our hands and our hearts to those in the margins, offering people material
assistance, but also our time, our attention, and our prayer.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2023