[ Today's Readings ]
They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”
They people of Nazareth want to see mighty deeds. But they can't see beyond their own expectations. They think they know Jesus. Isn't he really just one of them, not even the greatest of them? How can he make such a claim to fame? The people feel that he at least owes it to them to show off his power just as they have heard he did elsewhere. If you're going to convince us that you are more than just one of us you're going to need to prove it by showing off, they think. This attitude is one we share. We think we know what is usual, what we can expect. If we're going to accept anything beyond that, well, the burden of proof is on the one challenging those expectations and we ourselves in our limited human rationality are the judges.
The LORD does the unexpected all the time. He prefers to work through the unlikely precisely so that his own power is evident.
The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you.
So rather than opposing his messengers we need to figure out a better way to know if they come from God. Otherwise we may find ourselves fighting against a "fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass".
for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God! (see Acts 5:38-39).
How can we know if something is from God when our expectations are so limited and our paradigms are so insufficient? There is a way. It doesn't even more than tongues, knowledge, prophecy, faith, and mighty deeds it is love which reveals that God is present. These other special effects are partial at best. Separated from love they lose all value. But love never fails. It transforms all other deeds and works and makes them point toward God. But it is love at the core of them all that truly allows us to recognize him.
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love (see 1st John 4:7).
Knowing this we can discern the true signs from the noise of a world filled with competing spiritualities marked with varied special effects. Our own expectations which heretofore have saved us from following false prophets in the world no longer need keep us from coming closer to God and deeper into his love.
For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
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