Don't miss the point

Readings for Monday March 8, 2010

First Readings: 2 Kings 5:1-15
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 42
Gospel: Luke 4:24-30


Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “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 he passed through the midst of them and went away. (Lk 4:24-30)

Have you ever met someone who seems to always just "miss the point?" Perhaps you know someone in your life who you always find your self retelling a story, explaining something for the fifteenth time, or just find yourself thinking about this person, "they just don't get it." Most of us know someone who seems to "miss the point" of things often. Sometimes it may even be us who miss the point of something, and while this okay at times, it is important that we not "miss the point" in our own faith lives.

In today's gospel reading, we see Jesus addressing the people in his hometown of Nazareth. He reminded them of the fact that in the days of Elijah and Elisha, the prophets, that they were sent to, and cured, foreigners; instead of the Israelites. Jesus seemed to allude to the fact that this is one of the reasons that He was there as well, and this idea of helping foreigners instead of the only the Israelites enraged the people. This mad the crowd so angry because to them the foreigners were nothing, they were not worthy of God's plan. There was probably also a little arrogance there in thinking that they were the only people of God. Unfortunately, these people just "missed the point" They did not understand what Jesus was saying, they did not understand that what Jesus was talking about was that God's plan included everyone, not just the Israelites.

Because of His great love and mercy, the Lord wants all of His children with Him in heaven. Unfortunately there are those who miss this point, they do not understand, or in some cases want to understand, that God has a plan of them. God loves us so much, and all that He wants is for us to love and serve Him in this life, so that way we can be happy with Him in the next. Those who miss the point, are left with the alternative.

Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord thank you for all that you have given and all that you bless us with. Lord, you are everything, help us to always keep you in the center of our lives, so that we can only do what is pleasing to you and to live this life out as you have planned for us. We pray for all of our brothers and sisters who have fallen away from the church, may they be brought back to your love and peace. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.