DAILY MEDITATION: "No prophet is honored in his own country"
Liturgical day: Monday 3rd of Lent
Gospel text (Lk 4,24-30): Jesus added, "No prophet is honored in his own country. Truly, I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens withheld rain for three years and six months and a great famine came over the whole land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in the country of Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet, and no one was healed except Naaman, the Syrian".
On hearing these words, the whole assembly became indignant. They rose up and brought him out of the town, to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth is built, intending to throw him down the cliff. But he passed through their midst and went his way.
"No prophet is honored in his own country"
Fr. Higinio Rafael ROSOLEN IVE
(Cobourg, Ontario, Canada)
Today, in the Gospel, Jesus tells us that "no prophet is accepted in his hometown" (Lk 4, 24). By making use of this proverb Jesus is introducing Himself as a prophet.
A "Prophet" is someone who speaks on behalf of another, he who carries someone else’s message. Among the Hebrews, the prophets were men sent by God to announce, whether with words, whether with signs, the presence of God, the coming of the Messiah, the message of salvation, peace and hope.
Jesus is the Prophet par excellence, the long awaited Savior; in Him all prophecies are fulfilled. But, just as it did happen at the time of Elijah and Elisha, Jesus is not "well accepted" among their own, for those who are filled with anger "got up, and drow Him out of the town" (Lk 4, 29).
Each one of us, because of our baptism, is also called to be a prophet. Therefore:
1st. We should announce the Good News. To do so, as Pope Francis said, we have to listen to the Word with a sincere approach, to let it touch our own lives, to let it retrieve us, exhort us, mobilize us, because if we do not dedicate time to pray with that Word, then we shall indeed be a "false prophet", a "swindler" or an "empty charlatan"
2nd. To live by the Gospel. Again Pope Francis says: "We are not asked to be flawless, but to keep growing and wanting to grow as we advance along the path of the Gospel; our arms must never grow slack". It is essential to be sure that God loves us, that Jesus Christ has saved us, that His love is forever.
3rd. As disciples of Jesus, we must be aware that just as Jesus experienced rejection, anger and being thrown out, this will also be present on the horizon of our daily lives.
Let Mary, Queen of the prophets, guide us on our way.
Source: evangeli.net
