Gospel: August 2, 2024
August 2, 2024 (Friday)
17th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 1 / (Green/White)
St. Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop / St. Peter Julian Eymard, priest
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 69: 5, 8-10, 14
Lord, in your great love, answer me.
1st Reading: Jeremiah 26: 1-9
At the beginning of the reign of Judah’s king Jehoiakim son of Josiah, the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah: Yahweh says this, “Stand in the courtyard of Yahweh’s house and say to all who come from the towns of Judah to worship in Yahweh’s house—all that I command you to say; do not omit anything! Perhaps they will listen to you. Perhaps each one will turn from his wicked ways. Then I will change my mind and forget the destruction that I have planned to inflict on them because of their wicked deeds.
Tell them: This is what Yahweh says: “You have not obeyed me and you have failed to walk according to my law which I have set before you. You have not heeded my servants, the prophets, whom I have persistently sent to you. If you stubbornly close your ears to them, I will treat this house of mine as I treated the Sanctuary of Shiloh and let all the nations see that Jerusalem is a cursed city.”
The priests, the prophets and all the people heard what Jeremiah said in Yahweh’s house. When Jeremiah finished saying all that Yahweh had commanded, he was besieged by the priests and prophets saying, “You are bound to die! How dare you speak in Yahweh’s Name telling us that this house will be treated like Shiloh and this city is to become a deserted ruin.” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of Yahweh.
Gospel: Matthew 13: 54-58
He went to his hometown and taught the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and said, “Where did he get this wisdom and these special powers? Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t Mary his mother and aren’t James, Joseph, Simon and Judas his brothers? Aren’t all his sisters living here? How did he get all this?”
And so they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their own family.” And he did not perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Reflection:
“Biases and prejudices.”
Jesus went to his hometown and once again taught the people in the synagogue. The people who heard him were amazed while at the same time confused. They were having difficulties understanding how this Jesus whom they thought they knew very well, possessed great wisdom and miraculous power. They could not put their faith in him because they were blinded by their biases and prejudices against Jesus. We may reflect on the fact that, often, we fail to relate well with other people because of our biases and prejudices against them.
Consequently, we tend to close ourselves to the possibility that these people may change and that what we only need to do is to reach out to them. When we get fixated on certain biases against other people, we also limit our own capacity to understand them better.
Moreover, we will also fail to entertain the possibility that our perception of other people might be wrong. Biases and prejudices commonly stifle good relationships. Our lack of capacity to accept other people in their process of becoming, mirrors our lack of capacity to welcome the divine mystery as it unfolds.
