Scripture:
1 Corinthians 2:10b-16
Luke 4:31-37
Reflection:
Nazareth was a small town, with some authors suggesting its population was between 200-400 people, representing about ten families in total.
So, it is not surprising that Jesus would be well known and familiar to all and that this familiarity might incite both admiration and pride, but also be a point of vulnerability if expectations were not met.
Both dynamics are obvious today. Jesus is praised for his wisdom and clear articulation of the Word of God, and yet when he steps into a level of interpretation that is challenging then opinions quickly turn against him.
There is a fickleness in human nature, we see this all the time – a sporting personality is praised for her/his achievements one day and then ridiculed the next for some perceived failure.
It seems this has a long history and was certainly a dynamic at play in the public life of Jesus. Opinions and perceptions of him oscillated between admiration in one setting to disbelief or opposition in another.
What might be illustrative and sobering for us today is the rapidity of the ‘swing’ in his townsfolks’ opinion. The synagogue audience swings from admiration to opposition in what seems to be a very short interval.
We might feel we are more balanced and considerate in our views, but perhaps an ‘examen’ in the spirit of Ignatius of Loyola might serve us well from time to time.
Has social media or the ‘crowd’ over-influenced us in the formation of opinions or judgments? Have these same mediums limited our capacity to see widely and consider situations deeply? Have modern patterns of communication over-influenced us to the point where reactions overwhelm responses?
Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is the Provincial Superior of Holy Spirit Province, Australia.