“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” — Matthew 13:57

Margaret was born a dwarfed hunchback. She was deformed, lame and 

imprisoned her in a tiny cell far from their house for 14 long years. One day, they simply abandoned her. By God’s grace, a kind priest came to know her and introduced God to her. She gave her life to Jesus. She was able to get out of her prison and join the Dominican Third Order.

       Because of the suffering she went through, she understood the suffering of others. She knew what it meant to be imprisoned. She would visit prisoners and share God’s love to them. Because she was physically deformed, she would visit hospitals and share God’s love to the sick and dying.

       Because of this, the Catholic Church beatified her and she became the patron saint of the crippled and the unwanted. Her incorrupt body lies in a church in Castello, Italy.

       Margaret’s past was not perfect. In fact, it was evil. But it prepared her for her purpose. As the Bible says, what was intended by the enemy to harm you, God will transform it for your good (Genesis 50:20). Bo Sanchez (bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com)

Reflection: Have you experienced being rejected and trampled on by people dear to you? Keep doing good and God will save you from harm.

Dear Lord, amidst all the suffering that I have to go through in life, grant me the grace to follow Your example of forgiveness and compassion.

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, bishop and doctor of the Church, pray for us.

Today we celebrate the feast of one of the greatest moral theologians of the is not much in vogue today but his contribution to it will remain forever. He was a priest who had a great love for the poor and was horrified at the priests’ lack of attention to the rural areas. The congregation he founded, the Redemptorists, is well known for the parish missions they give, a remnant of their mission to bring the Gospel to the people living in the rural areas.

1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, this message came from the Lord: 2 Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the house of the Lord and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord; whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing. 3 Perhaps they will listen and turn back, each from his evil way, so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them for their evil deeds. 4 Say to them: Thus says the Lord: If you disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you 5 and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them, 6 I will treat this house like Shiloh, and make this the city which all the nations of the earth shall refer to when cursing another. 7 Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. 8 When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the Lord bade him speak to all the people, the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying, “You must be put to death! 9 Why do you prophesy in the name of the Lord: ‘This house shall be like Shiloh,’ and ‘This city shall be desolate and deserted’?” And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

R: Lord, in your great love, answer me.

4 [5] Those outnumber the hairs of my head who hate me without cause. Too many for my strength are they who wrongfully are my enemies. Must I restore what I did not steal? (R) 7 [8] Since for your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face. 8 [9] I have become an outcast to my brothers, a stranger to my mother’s sons, 9 [10] because zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me. (R) 13 [14] But I pray to you, O Lord, for the time of your favor, O God! In your great kindness answer me with your constant help. (R)

Sometimes the most difficult people to evangelize are those closest to us. Why? They know us so well that they find it difficult to accept any radical changes that have happened to us. Our lived witness of the Gospel is so important because, over time, they will see that faith in Christ has made a difference in our lives.

The word of the Lord remains forever; this is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

54 Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? 55 Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A  prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” 58 And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

think:  Sometimes the most difficult people to evangelize are those closest to us.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Maccabees 3-4

THE ORIGIN OF TRUE WISDOM

The people marvel at the way Jesus refutes their questions and accusations, as well as His eloquence in preaching through parables. He has captured their attention through His words and they now wonder about His origins as they have never heard someone speak like Him before.

       Some people have a gift for speaking that leaves their audience enraptured. Jesus seems to be one of such people. It does not hurt Jesus’ cause that He is also able to perform spectacular healing miracles and the like. However, Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, says that he does not possess such eloquence and attributes the power of his preaching to its content, which is the Gospel. If Paul speaks the truth, then Jesus has even more going for Him than we thought as the content of His preaching is the Gospel – the same as St. Paul’s.

       It is not surprising then that Jesus, the Son of God, who is sometimes referred to as the “Word of God,” speaks with extraordinary power and authority. He has in abundance everything that could help Him in His mission. And yet there were many who have heard Him speak, but still rejected the message.

       Jesus knows this will be the case, as He tells us that a prophet finds it very difficult to convince those closest to him, those who know him the most, of his message. Perhaps because they have known the prophet for a long time, they find it difficult to accept that the conversion that is happening in the prophet’s life would enable him to speak with the wisdom of God.

       Let us pray that we will not be among those who reject the Gospel because we are too familiar with the one who proclaims it to us. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you tend to doubt when someone close to you suddenly preaches or proclaims the Word of God?

Jesus, You proclaimed the Gospel without fear of or favor to the people around You. Help me to receive it humbly and share it with others, particularly those who have never heard the Gospel.