22nd Week of Ordinary Time 2021 - Monday - When prejudices are challenged

 During Ordinary Time, we read on weekdays from the three Synoptic Gospels: first the Gospel of Mark for the first 10 weeks of Ordinary Time, then from Matthew for a good chunk of the year, and finally from St. Luke, which we begin today, on this Monday of the 22nd week of Ordinary Time. Notice, though, we begin a few chapters into Luke’s Gospel, skipping the infancy narratives and commencing with the beginning of the Lord’s public ministry around the age of 30, after his baptism and time in the Galilean desert. Filled with the Spirit, the Lord returns to his hometown, where he is rejected.

There in the synagogue of Nazareth, the Lord explains how the time is at hand for the Messiah to begin ushering in the new ear of human history, which the poor and downtrodden of God’s people will be raised up; the new and ultimate era of human history, where God’s people will radiate God’s glory to all nations is about to begin.

Initially, the Lord’s words are met with approval, but then when does it turn from approval to rejection? The Lord begins to explain that not only the Jews will be included in God’s kingdom, but Gentiles, like Naaman the Syrian and the widow of Zarephath as well. And this inclusion of the Gentiles filled with people of Nazareth with fury.

Their fury is something of a surprise because there were plenty of Old Testament texts that promised that the Gentiles would be included in God’s plan of salvation, and even that Israel’s restoration would occur with the help of Gentiles. Why were they so furious at this? Why did approval turn to rejection, in fact, an attempt to murder the messenger? 

Perhaps, it was due to Roman’s occupation of Israel at the time. Gentiles were the oppressor. In the not too distant past, Gentiles like the Greeks imposed harsh restrictions on Jewish life. Whatever the reason, this episode is a sort of preview for the Lord’s public ministry as a whole.

Most people will approve of large portions of the Lord’s message. But the whole message, especially the parts of the message that challenge my prejudices, that’s another story. The parts of the message that challenge me to change, the parts of the message that are critical of my vices and errors and biases, the parts of the message that call me to conversion, the parts of the message that claim our enemies aren’t as bad as we make them out to be,  we must be careful not to reject because we find them difficult. For to reject the message, we reject Him, and treat him like the citizens of Nazareth, running him out of town, ready to hurl him over a cliff.

Today and always may we accept and heed the whole Gospel, the whole Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the flourishing of spiritual gifts in the universal Church and our parish, for the sanctification of our parishioners, the conversion of the faithless, and the grace to be not just hearers of the word but doers of the word..  

For an end to indifference to the Gospel, to God and human dignity in our government & educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes.

For resolution to the atrocities in Afghanistan, for the safety of innocent bystanders, for captive Christians, and for an end to all terrorism, for those effected by hurricane Ida, and for those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: may they know God’s deliverance, strength and peace 

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.