Gospel MK 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Reflection:
Jesus returned to His hometown not as a carpenter looking for work, but as a savior seeking to heal, cure and inspire.
They said, “Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary?”
The minds of His childhood friends and neighbors were shut against Him. Their thinking was warped, and they refused to believe, based on their preconceived view, that Jesus could not possibly have any special wisdom from God. In their mind, He was “only a working man.”
Just as it is impossible to enter through a locked door, it is also impossible to plant new ideas in a closed mind.
Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house.”
At times in life, our faith may be strong or it may be weak. However, when we refuse to believe, we slam the door in God’s face and cut ourselves off from Him.
“So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.”
 “Help me Lord, not to prejudge, to listen to what’s going on. Help me to keep my ears, heart and mind open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.”                – – Unknown