Dear [NAME],
Matthew 13:54-58
54(A) and coming to(B) his hometown(C) he taught them in their synagogue, so that(D) they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55(E) Is not this(F) the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not(G) his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" 57And(H) they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, (I) "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household." 58And he did not do many mighty works there,(J) because of their unbelief.
Unexceptional Homecoming
- Lito Dawa
In my younger days in the province, we always dreamed of going to Manila . We had high regards for our friends and neighbors living, studying and working in this progressive part of our country. We looked up to them and got excited every time they visited our place for vacation. Their relatives and acquaintances would give them grandiose homecomings as they talked till dawn about the various thrills, adventures, opportunities, difficulties and challenges they have experienced. Jesus, who performed many miracles outside of His place of birth, was rejected in His hometown. They questioned His wisdom and His capability to bring good news and salvation to Nazareth . Knowing His family background and His simple lifestyle made them doubt if He really was of God and for God. It was, at the very least, a painful experience for Jesus because He was not able to perform a single miracle in His native land. Most of us are working really hard to become successful in life. We have childhood friends and neighbors whom we have not seen for quite sometime. We look forward to meeting them someday and share with them our flourishing careers and businesses and how we made it from rags to riches. We want them to listen, hear and know our various successes with pride and let them recognize our achievements. Read more...
Dabar is a greek word meaning “word alive.” This daily Gospel insight comes to you free courtesy of the Friends of the Divine Mercy Community. To know more about the community, log on to www.friendsofthedivinemercy.org.