First, a little background on today's gospel reading. It was customary for Jesus to go weekly to the synagogue to worship and on occasion to read the scriptures and comment on them to the people. His hometown people listened with rapt attention on this occasion because they had heard about the miracles he had performed in other towns. But instead of pleasing them with wondrous miracles he criticized them instead, saying that Gentiles (who were then regarded as fuel for the fires of hell") deserved more largess from God then the "chosen ones" of Israel.
How would we have reacted if we were in that audience? Imagine this scenario. A famous priest, preacher and doer of miracles comes to your hometown. You go to his sermon expecting a good show. Instead this priest lambasted your people. How would you feel? Would you react similarly to the Jews in the reading? Or would you weigh what was said and draw some lessons from it?
IMHO the Jews in the reading were incapable of weighting Jesus' words in the above manner. They were expecting a good show! People in that mood are in the mood to get emotional, not logical. We should not follow their example. We should not go to a sermon or homily expecting a good show, but much food for thought.
How would we have reacted if we were in that audience? Imagine this scenario. A famous priest, preacher and doer of miracles comes to your hometown. You go to his sermon expecting a good show. Instead this priest lambasted your people. How would you feel? Would you react similarly to the Jews in the reading? Or would you weigh what was said and draw some lessons from it?
IMHO the Jews in the reading were incapable of weighting Jesus' words in the above manner. They were expecting a good show! People in that mood are in the mood to get emotional, not logical. We should not follow their example. We should not go to a sermon or homily expecting a good show, but much food for thought.
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