Message for Proper 9 – Sunday, July 7, 2024

Brothers and Sisters,

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus said that a prophet is not without honor except in His hometown. While others may respect and accept the prophet’s teachings, many times his own family members wouldn’t. There does sometimes seem to be a “How dare you teach me? Who do you think are?” attitude towards a family member who preaches the gospel with the rest of his family.

Jesus was not well received by his family. His own relatives and kinsmen rejected him. They didn’t appreciate all of the good he was doing for others, but instead scorned him. The same is likely true of us today if we are a believer in a non-believing family. Do any of you face this type of situation? Do not be surprised if your family doesn’t listen to you when you share with them. Rather you can expect that it is likely. In fact, they may even scorn you or mock you.

But don’t get discouraged. Many of Jesus’ family actually eventually believed in him including James and Judas. Your family’s positive or negative response doesn’t absolve you from responsibility towards taking the message to them. Keep doing what you should do and praying that one day they will believe like much of Jesus’ family did.

When those we love and care for so much continue to make the choices that we can see are unwise, what can we do?  We can continue to love them and accept them.  Most of us have made mistakes once or twice in our own lives.  We may have hurt others and ourselves with them, but we have survived and learned from them.  They will, too.  We can hold them in prayer.  Not praying that they will change and do what we think they should, but rather that they will make the best choice possible for them.  We can trust God.  We can place our faith in the one who loves us even when we are making mistakes.  We can place our loved ones with confidence in the hands of the one who will never leave them or forsake them, and we can remember that with all good intentions, Jesus’ mother and family thought that he was mad.  They were wrong and they learned that eventually.  It just could be that the great mistake we see our loved ones making is exactly what God is calling them to do.

Contributed