14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Sunday 8th July 2018)
Miracles can happen – (Mark 6:1-6)
There have been a lot of blockbuster movies lately featuring superheroes. They continue to be popular subjects for our entertainment. In today’s Gospel we see Jesus as a kind of superhero coming to His hometown. But the people who supposedly know Him best through His family, His childhood there, are the most sceptical about Jesus. The Gospel tells us that He was not able to perform any mighty deeds there apart from curing a few sick people by laying His hands on them. Jesus is like a superhero whose powers seem to fail Him at that moment. Now, I realise that portraying Jesus as a superhero is a bit dangerous. There is so much more to Jesus than a superficial comparison to comic book characters. But turn the comparison around. Think about why superheroes in comic books and films are so popular? Could it be that we want to believe in something beyond us in mighty deeds in miracles? And truth be told aren’t we a lot like the people in Jesus’ town who are sceptical about anything out of the ordinary?
The people there dismissed Jesus because their expectations were confined to their own foregone conclusions based on their limited hometown knowledge. The Gospel tells us that Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith. Scripture scholar, Fr. Eugene LaVerdiere comments on today’s texts by reminding us of last week’s response to the woman with the haemorrhage. Jesus had told her, ‘Daughter, your faith has saved you’. Fr. LaVerdiere writes, “Jesus is able to cure, but His curing gesture is part of a faith dialogue.” It calls for openness in faith on the part of others. Without faith, Jesus’ power has no effect.
Today’s Gospel is a challenge to let go of our limited expectations when we enter into a faith dialogue with Our Lord. When we do so, miracles can happen!
Fr. Greg, OFM