Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Matthew (13: 54-58) in which Jesus says to the skeptics, “A prophet is only despised in his own country and in his own house.”

Fr Paul says when Jesus’ returns to his hometown of Nazareth, he faced skepticism and rejection from the very people who should have recognised him.

Despite the wisdom and miracles Jesus displayed, the people of Nazareth could only see him as “the carpenter’s son.” They were scandalized that one of such humble origins could possess such extraordinary gifts. Their familiarity with Jesus bred contempt, as they failed to see beyond his earthly family ties.

This reaction reveals the human tendency to judge based on outward appearances rather than spiritual realities. The people of Nazareth were blinded by their preconceptions and closed their hearts to the truth about Jesus. As St John Chrysostom notes, they should have been in awe of how one of such ordinary origins could speak with such divine authority.

Yet, Jesus’ experience in Nazareth also teaches an important lesson. Even the Messiah, the Son of God, faced rejection and unbelief from those closest to him. This foreshadows the ultimate rejection and crucifixion he would face in Jerusalem.

The passage today reminds us that the kingdom of God often challenges our human expectations and assumptions. Like the people of Nazareth, we must be careful not to limit God’s work to what we can comprehend with our limited vision. Instead, we are called to approach the mysteries of faith with humility and openness to the workings of divine grace.

Ultimately, this passage encourages us to look beyond the outward appearances and recognize the true identity and mission of Christ, even when it defies our human logic. Only then, Fr Paul notes, can we fully embrace the wisdom and power of the Gospel message.