Tuesday of 22nd Week, Year II: reflection
Theme: How you receive Jesus into your life matters a lot
Reading: Lk 4:31–37
The gospel of John 1:11–12 reads: “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, those who believed in His name, he gave the power to become children of God.” This teaching of St John played out in the gospel of yesterday and today.
In yesterday’s gospel (Lk 4:16–30), Jesus went to His hometown and proclaimed His mission to the world, as prophesized by Isaiah. But His people didn’t recognize any divine authority behind His teaching. Rather, they saw in Him a young man from one of the poor homes in their community, and they refused to believe in Him. When He pressed further, they seized Him and dragged Him out and wanted to throw him down from the brow of the hill on which their town was built. Because of their lack of faith and refusal to acknowledge His divine authority, Jesus didn’t perform the great works He was sent for among them.
On the contrary, in today’s gospel, Jesus went to Capernaum, a town that shared a border with his hometown. There, He preached the word of God, and the people recognized that his teaching was different from the regular teachings of the Pharisees and Scribes. In fact, they acknowledged that He taught them with divine power and authority and believed in Him. In their midst, therefore, He performed mighty works: He cast out demons and healed the sick.
Dear friends, how we accept Jesus in our lives and the position we give him in our lives and affairs matter a lot. If we acknowledge and accept Him as our only God and give the priority due to Him in our lives, choices and affairs, He will make His divine mission manifested in our lives. But if we count him among the spiritual beings that protect our lives and give no priority to Him in what we say and do, we will place ourselves in a position where less or none of His divine works will be felt.
May your Tuesday bear fruits of favour and success. Amen
Fr Isaac C. Chima