Are we ready to accept Him?

Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C

Today’s Gospel is a continuation of the story of Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth as related by Luke started last Sunday. Two important themes when reflecting on the passage are, Jesus’ mission as a prophet to all the nations and the inevitable resistance to his radical message.

After reading from the prophet Isaiah and then saying that He himself is the fulfilment of that prophecy the people were amazed and “all spoke well of him.” But Jesus realizes that they have missed the implications of what he said and he challenges those present to understand that God reaches out to everyone and asks us to expand our ideas and pre-determined notions. 

Jesus refers to the stories of Elijah and Elisha (Old Testament prophets) who also brought God’s saving message to the Gentiles and uses the examples of the widow in Zarephath, and Naaman the Syrian, both of whom were Gentiles helped by God’s prophets. God sent Elijah to perform a miracle for a Gentile widow in Zarephath, a city where idol worship was practised. Elisha cured a Syrian man called Naaman from leprosy but he never healed any of the lepers in Israel. Jesus was comparing the people of his hometown (Nazareth) with the faithless Jews during the time of Elijah and Elisha. Israel throughout salvation history turned its back on God’s prophets, his chosen messengers. Instead they trusted their own instincts and rejected God. We can ask ourselves the same question. Who do I think Jesus is? A prophet? A holy man? An impressive religious leader? Or is he my Lord and Saviour?

Jesus goes on saying “no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.” The people reacted angrily to the comparison which Jesus made. They could not accept that non-Jews (Gentiles) could enjoy the blessings of God also. In their anger the people in the synagogue rose up and chased Jesus out of the town intent on throwing him off a cliff, implying that they wanted to kill him. There is no mention of how Jesus escaped, maybe it was miraculously but he just passed through the crowds and walked away. 

The people of the synagogue were challenged by Jesus that day to accept that everyone is worthy of God’s grace. Jesus’ message is open to us all but we need to be aware of his teachings and open to his love. Jesus challenges us too, am I willing to accept it?

A reading from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 4:21-30)

Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. Praise God for your relationship with Jesus and for accepting his radical message. Ask God to help you not to be prideful or prejudiced like the people of Jesus’ home town, we are all worthy of Christ.
  4. Jesus is so much more than a prophet, He is true God and true man. The light of the world and we are called to be prophetic witnesses to His life. Take every opportunity this week to live out your Christian calling.
  5.  Together with your family find the right time to read this Gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare;
    i. The Bible reading from St Luke (Lk 4:21-30)
    ii. A candle
    iii. Cover the table with a white cloth
    iv. A computer/laptop with the reading and clips
    v. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested)
  6. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  7. Be creative 😊 

In the Gospel today Jesus tries to tell the people in the synagogue at Nazareth that he was sent by God. The people listened to Jesus but they did not believe what he said. They got angry and they chased him out of the town. They tried to push him over a cliff but Jesus managed to walk right through the crowd and he went on his way.

  • Jesus came for everyone
  • Jesus is the Messiah who the prophets had promised would come to save God’s people 
  • Jesus came for everyone template
  • Scissors and colours
Template Download

It is easy for us to understand that Jesus is for every one because we know that he died on the cross to save us from our sins and give us the gift of eternal life, but it was not so easy for the Jewish people in Jesus’ time.

For hundreds of years they had heard that they were God’s special chosen people. They had been told by the prophets that the Messiah would come one day and they thought that he would be just for them.

One day in Nazareth (the town where he grew up as the son of a carpenter) Jesus was in the synagogue, teaching the people. He told them that he was the promised Messiah but the people did not believe him (they knew him as the son of Joseph, the carpenter). In fact, they got very angry when Jesus said that he came for the entire world. The Jews really respected God’s laws and they couldn’t believe what Jesus was telling them, that he was the Messiah. They thought Jesus was being disrespectful of what they knew was right. They thought that Jesus was saying something that was against what they believed as the truth.

The people were so angry that they chased Jesus out of the town intending to throw him off a cliff. But Jesus somehow walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

What do you think the people thought when Jesus walked away from them? Maybe they felt even angrier, but maybe it made them think that Jesus was telling the truth and that he really was the promised Messiah.

It is hard for us to know just how we would have reacted to what Jesus said that day in the synagogue in Nazareth because we already know so many things about Jesus, that he really is the Son of God. Some of the Jews did not understand who Jesus was and could not believe that he came for everyone. Do you think it’s a good thing that Jesus came for everyone? I do, because it means that everyone has the chance to get to know God and everyone has the opportunity to go to heaven. Everyone needs Jesus, and everyone needs to know that they can have a relationship with him.

Jesus wants all people to come to know him, to love him and to follow him. Think of three things that you know about Jesus and can tell others, print out the pictures of Jesus, colour them and you can give them out to your friends and family. Listen to this song; Do you know Jesus loves you.

Sign of the cross 

Dear God, even though we are all different we are all loved by you. We all need you and you came to save all of us by your grace. Even when others refuse to believe in your power to heal and to forgive, help us to remain faithful and true. Amen

Today we continue the story of Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth started last week. We hear how he was rejected and chased out of the synagogue as the people did not believe what he was saying, they tried to throw him off a cliff but Jesus managed to walk away unhurt.

  • The Gospel message today challenges us to think about Jesus’ words and how they can help us to make good choices in our daily lives
  • Story cube template
  • Pencil/ colours
  • Scissors/ glue
TemplateDownload

Think about all the people in your life who give you advice. Teachers, parents, grandparents, priests, catechists and friends. Sometimes we rely on these people to help us make important decisions, they are people whom we feel that we can trust, who will give us good advice that will help us. It is usually someone in authority who will give us the best advice. 

Today’s Gospel describes what Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth and their response to his words. At first the people were amazed at what Jesus had said and they started asking each other, “Isn’t this Joseph the carpenter’s son?” How could someone from their hometown who they knew so well, claim to be the Son of God? Jesus told them that he knew they wouldn’t believe him, because none of the Old Testament prophets were accepted in their hometowns either.

When Jesus compared himself to these prophets the people in the synagogue got angry. They chased him to a cliff and tried to throw him off but Jesus walked away from them. The people responded badly to Jesus’ words, they knew him the best but they did not accept what he was saying to be true. Jesus challenged them and gave them advice on how to change and not respond like the Jews who didn’t listen to the Old Testament prophets. They didn’t let Jesus’ words guide them and lead them to change. Many times the words we hear in the Gospel challenge us to think differently from what the majority of people are thinking. Jesus angered the Jewish elders because he healed people on the Sabbath and he ate with sinners and tax collectors (they thought this was wrong- against God’s laws). We should be ready to hear the words of Jesus because we know he speaks the truth and that we can trust him and rely on him to give us good advice. In the Gospel, and through the teaching of the Church, we hear the words of Jesus. We can trust these words as they are words of someone who loves us and wants what’s best for us. We pray that we will allow these words to influence us and to change us so that we become worthy followers of Jesus.

If you would like to remind yourself of today’s Gospel story you can make a ‘Story Cube.’  Print the template of the cube and then before you cut it out either write a verse from today’s Gospel or draw a small picture on each side of the cube showing the events of the Story. Then colour them, cut out the cube carefully. Fold the cube and then glue the flaps to make a 3D cube. Turn it around to reveal your story!Listen to this song; I’m Trusting You.

Sign of the cross.

Dear Jesus, help me to listen to your words from the Gospel, thank you for the prophets in the world who stand up for what is good and right and help me to be like them. Help me to be caring and kind towards others and do all that we can to follow your example. Amen 

Gospel in symbolsDownload

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.