Today’s Gospel presents one of the most tragic sentences in the New Testament: "He was not able to perform any mighty deed there... He ...
Today’s Gospel presents one of the most tragic sentences in the New Testament: "He was not able to perform any mighty deed there... He was amazed at their lack of faith." This happened in Nazareth, the place where Jesus grew up. The people there suffered from a spiritual blindness caused by Familiarity. They knew His mother, His cousins, and His trade as a carpenter. They thought they had Him "figured out." Because they could not see past the ordinary human exterior, they missed the Divine presence standing in their midst.
We often do the same. We get so "familiar" with the Mass, the Rosary, or the people we live with that we stop expecting God to move through them. We put God in a box labeled "Ordinary," and in doing so, we stifle the Faith required for miracles. Faith isn't just believing God exists; it’s the active expectation that God is acting now.
In the first reading, David falls into a different trap of familiarity—the pride of ownership. By taking a census, David was trying to quantify his power, forgetting that his strength came from God alone. He treated his people like assets rather than God’s flock. However, when confronted with the consequences, David moves into Forgiveness. He doesn't make excuses. He says, "I have sinned very greatly... I am the one who has done wrong."
David’s repentance reminds us that God’s mercy is always available when we drop our defenses. The people of Nazareth missed out because they were too proud to believe; David was saved because he was humble enough to repent.
Let us pray today for "fresh eyes." Let us look at the Eucharist—which looks like simple bread—and see the Lord of Glory. Let us look at our "ordinary" neighbors and see the image of God. Don't let familiarity be the thief of your miracle.
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