Evaluate all things well
He was amazed at their lack of faith. (Mk 6, 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. (Mk 6:1-6)
Far from considering their physical closeness to Jesus a gift, some inhabitants of Nazareth find it an obstacle to believe in Him, even though they can’t explain the source of His authority when teaching. Their lack of faith also prevents Jesus fulfilling signs since He does not want to compel them to believe. Faith, which implies loving the Lord before understanding His plans for us, always respects our freedom. Let’s not make the same mistake of the inhabitants of Nazareth but value carefully who the Lord puts at our side to progress spiritually and who instead distances us from Him.
