Thought:

Jesus remains with us and wants to help us with his love and mercy. He bears the ugly wounds of the cross, but they are transformed in the Resurrection into life-giving wounds. If we bring our ugliness to him he can transform our woundedness. It is part of the journey of discipleship.

You may have read about the billboard which some in the Sydney business community want to erect at the main entrance of Brisbane airport: it shows a couple on a beach with the message ‘Welcome to Queensland’. The shoe drops with the next line: ‘Subsidised by the taxpayers of NSW’. They are making a point about the federal distribution of tax revenue. Needless to say the Queensland airport authority has rejected the ad as offensive!
Every year the same battle erupts. We, human beings, can be very parochial.
There is a disaster in Machu Pichu with hundreds trapped, but the real story is the Australians – or the West Australians – among them. I am not saying it is bad, it just seems inevitable.
This concern for our own can mask all sorts of things though.
In today’s Gospel Jesus is acclaimed as a hometown boy doing well by the people of Nazareth. He is one of us and they approve. Yet Jesus knows what their approval masks. And it doesn’t take long for the ugliness inside to come out.
Jesus says to them that no doubt they want him to perform the same miracles he did at Capernaum. No doubt they want him to remain with them that they make bask in his reflected glory. But he challenges their narrowness.
He is not theirs, he comes from his Father. And his Father does not see the world in the same way they do, we do. As the Old Testament bear witness in time of need the prophets Elijah and Elisha were sent to outsiders.
Jesus’ provocation unmasks his hearers and their approbation turns to fury. Why do this? Jesus is not one to walk away or accept people at the surface. He, who is truth itself, brings the truth into the light. He, who is God with us, remains with us even in our sinfulness and hardness of heart.
Jesus walks through the midst of the mob for death and destruction cannot hold him who is love.
I suspect that we don’t really empathise with the people of Nazareth; we are appalled at them. But what lurks within. Jesus wants to turn us to him, to break through our hardness of heart. He does this in prayer and also in the awkward situations of life. I think we are invited to read the Gospels, especially, the bits which make us squirm again and again. Through them Jesus helps us uncover the hardness in our hearts. We need not fear this or deny it. When we encounter situations which reveal ugliness within, we need not shrink from ourselves or deny it or lash out. Jesus remains with us and wants to help us with his love and mercy. He bears the ugly wounds of the cross, but they are transformed in the Resurrection into life-giving wounds. If we bring our ugliness to him he can transform our woundedness. It is part of the journey of discipleship. We need not fear it or despair of ourselves. The Lord is with us always.