Fourth Sunday in
Ordinary Time – Luke 4:21-30
Today Jesus once again is in the synagogue. He tells his
listeners: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” The
people were amazed at Jesus’ preaching and they spoke highly of him. Some
of them also asked, “Isn’t he the son of Joseph?” Were these people
wondering how Jesus had become such a scholar and preacher? After all,
his father, Joseph, was a lowly carpenter.
Do we ever discount someone’s gifts or talents or perhaps
consider them crass and vulgar because they do not have a college degree or
advanced training? Yet, who are we to judge another person?
We don’t like it when someone judges us, right? Yet we judge people all
the time! It seems to be almost automatic. We may not like a
person’s personality or the way he or she talks or walks. We know the pain of being judged or ignored
because of who we are or what we do, yet we cause the same pain by being
judgmental ourselves.
Some of the people in the temple dismissed Jesus simply because
he was a lowly carpenter. Other individuals in the temple were enthralled
by Jesus, his presence, and his teaching. Are you enthralled by Jesus or
has Jesus become too familiar to you? Have you lost the thrill, the joy,
and the wonder you experienced when Jesus first became real to you and he no
longer was just a character in the Bible?
Today I invite you to sit
in Jesus’ presence. Don’t talk or do anything. Simply sit there
quietly and in silence. Be attentive: Jesus is there with you. May
your mind and heart be open and recognize his presence. He will not fail
you!
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