Opening Prayer Series: Collect for 14th Sunday of Year B

The Collect for the 14th Sunday of Year B reads as follows:

Let us pray,

O God, in the abasement of Your Son,

have raised up a fallen world,

Fill Your faithful with holy joy,

for on those You have rescued from slavery to sin

You bestow eternal gladness.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spiirt

one God for ever and ever.

In making this prayer tangible the following reflection questions emerged:

1. What does it mean to me that Christ came on earth to save me?
2. How often do I contemplate the sacrifice that Jesus made by becoming man?
3. What does it mean to me to be raised up from the fallen world?
4. What is holy joy and why do I need to be filled with this holy joy?
5. What area of my life is still bound by slavery to sin?
6. What place does the sacrament of Reconciliation have in my spiritual life? 
7. What steps will I take to use this sacrament effectively?

For a fifth and final miracle, let us travel with Jesus and His disciples from the lakeside up to the Galilean hills to His native town of Nazareth.  Jesus goes to the synagogue on the Sabbath.  His return home is more than a private visit, rather He is offering His own people the gospel of the kingdom of God.  There is a depth in what He says which the people sense and they are confused.  They question:

1. What is the source of His teaching, for they saw Him grow up in the own town and

2. What is the nature of His wisdom for it comes with a divine power to heal and re-create.

This questioning and wonder of the people turns quickly to resistance.  They reject this invitation to believe in the new gospel He brings.  They take offence that He should challenge them so deeply. They are scandalised by the ordinariness of one who has recently lived among them, it seems as a carpenter.They know His mother Mary and his cousins-brothers and sisters.  It is important to remember that in the catholic tradition, Jesus is the only child.  This text often confuses people and some use it as example that Joseph and Mary had other children. This is misunderstanding the word brothers and sisters in that time.  It meant what we would call cousins-relatives.

The point of the story came at the end.  Jesus appears surprised that He can do no real work of power in His hometown, because it seems, they were lacking faith.  The human disappointment in Jesus must have been real, but the proverb quoted by Him about the prophet underlines the need for faith around a prophet, if He is to do the great works of a prophet.

Jesus can do no real work of power there that brings conversion and freedom of heart.  He lays His hands upon a few sick people who come to Him and heals them. 

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Consider my relationship with Jesus  in the light of this Gospel passage.
• Try to enter into the atmosphere among the people of Nazareth when Jesus returns to be with them. Reflect on why they become hostile.
• Compare my attitude to Jesus when He offers me the gospel of the Kingdom of God? Am I like the townsfolk of Nazareth or am I like those who are sick who come to Him?
• Ponder on the effect of lack of faith in those around Jesus upon the the power of the gospel which He brings to the world?  
• Reflect on how or if I reject the teaching of Jesus preached through His Church at times.  What were these experiences and teachings and how did it impact on my relationship with Jesus in my life?
• How do I relate to this story of Jesus offering me the gospel of the Kingdom of God.  Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• How do I relate to the sick people who came to Jesus for healing?
• What impact does Jesus’ teaching have on you (6:1-6).
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?