ANGELUS TODAY
Jesus was 'the greatest miracle'
but Nazareth rejected him
July 8, 2012
Speaking from his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about today's Gospel, which tells how Jesus, when He had returned to His hometown of Nazareth, was rejected by His own people.
“This fact is understandable,” the Pope said, “because familiarity at the human level makes it difficult to go beyond that and to be open to the divine dimension.”
Jesus was not able to work any miracles in Nazareth – “apart from curing a few sick people by laying His hands on them” – because the people were closed off to the spiritual dimension. The Holy Father explained that “the miracles of Christ are not a display of power, but signs of the love of God, which is made present where it encounters the faith of man.”
And so, the Pope says, Jesus was “amazed” at the lack of faith among his own people: “How is it possible that they do not recognise the light of Truth? Why are they not open to the goodness of God, who has willed to share our humanity?”
“In fact," the Pope points out, "the man Jesus of Nazareth is God made visible; in Him, God dwells fully. And while we too always seek other signs, other wonders, we do not realize that the He is the real sign, God made flesh; He is the greatest miracle of the universe: all the love of God hidden in a human heart, in a human face.”
In his English greeting after the prayers he said: "In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that if we live with an open and simple heart, nourished by true faith, we can recognize the presence of God in our lives and follow his holy will.”
In Polish, he greeted an inter-religious prayer service to be held Sunday evening at the former Nazi concentration camp at Majdanek. Representatives of the Greek and Latin Catholic Church, from the Orthodox Church, from the Protestant ecclesial communities and from the Jewish community will offer prayers for peace throughout the world.
“I unite myself spiritually to these events,” the Pope said, “and I pray for goodness and peace for the world, for Poland, and for each of you.”
Here is a full translation of the Holy Father's words:
[Before he could start his pre-Angelus message this morning, the Holy Father graciously gave way to a choir from Germany which sang a celebratory hymn.]
Dear brothers and sisters,
Let us thank the children of Dresden who sang so well!
I wish to dwell briefly on the Gospel passage this Sunday, a text from which comes the famous saying "Nemo propheta in patria" - namely, no prophet is well-received among his own people, who have seen him grow up (cfr Mc 6,4).
Indeed, after Jesus, around age 30, had left Nazareth and had already been going around preaching and healing for some time, he came back to his hometown to preach in the synagogue. His townmates were 'astonished' at his wisdom, but knowing him as 'the son of Mary', the carpenter who had lived among them, instead of welcoming him with faith, they 'took offense' with him (cfr Mc 6,2-3).
This fact is understandable, because familiarity on the human level makes it difficult to go beyond and to be open to the divine dimension. That this carpenter could be the Son of God was difficult for them to believe.
Jesus himself cites the example of the experience of Israel's prophets who in their own country were the object of scorn, and he identified with them.
Because of this spiritual closedness of his own people, in Nazareth, Jesus was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them" (Mk 6,5).
The miracles of Christ are not a display of power, but a sign of God's love, which happens wherever it encounters man's faith - it is a reciprocity. Origen writes: "In the same way that for bodies, there exists a natural attraction to others by some, like a magnet draws iron,... faith exercises an attraction on divine power" (Comment on the Gospel of Matthew 10,19).
Therefore, it would seems that Jesus took exception to the bad welcome that he got in Nazareth. But at the end of this account, we find an observation that says the contrary. The Evangelist writes, "He was amazed at their lack of faith" (Mk 6,6).
To the astonishment of his townmates, who were scandalized by him, Jesus responds with amazement. Even he, in a certain sense, is scandalized. Though he knew that no man is a prophet in his own land, still he found the closed hearts of his townmates obscure, impenetrable.
How is it possible that they cannot recognize the light of Truth? Why don't they open up to the goodness of God, who willed that he would share our humanity? Indeed, the man Jesus of Nazareth is God's transparency - in him God dwells fully.
Even as we - and even we - are always looking for other signs, other miracles, we do not recognize that the true sign is he, God made flesh - he is the greatest miracle in the universe. All the love of God, found in a human heart, in a human face.
She who truly understood this reality is the Virgin Mary, who is blessed because she believed (cfr Lk 1,46). Mary was not scandalized by her Son: her wonder at him was full of faith, full of love and joy, in seeing him so human and at the same time so divine.
Let us therefore learn from her, our Mother of faith, to recognize in the humanity of Christ the perfect revelation of God.
After the prayers, he said:
Dear brothers and sisters, I am glad to welcome you here to Castel Gandolfo, where I arrived a few days ago. I greet the local community and wish all families that they may have a time of rest and of physical and spiritual recharging.
And I affectionately greet the Sisters of St. Elizabeth, who have come from various parts of the world, to celebrate ten years of their perpetual vows. Dear sisters, may the Lord renew you profoundly in his love!
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 08/07/2012 22:17]