Readings: Heb. 12:4-7.11-15, Ps.103, Mark 6:1-6
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE OF THE WAY PEOPLE TREAT YOU NOW
In life, people are quick to neglect and look down on others, who they believe cannot offer them anything good at the moment. They are quick to forget that everyone, no matter the present condition is a potential instrument for God's blessings. This is the ugly attitude of the people of Nazareth in our Gospel passage today.
For when Jesus came to his home town and taught the people in the synagogue in such a way that they were astonished, but instead of embracing the message of Jesus, they treated him with contempt and in their pride they said: ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? This is the carpenter’s son, surely? Is not his mother the woman called Mary, and his brothers and sisters here with us? Where did he get all these?’
Thus, out of pride and contempt, the people rejected the blessings God had for them. And like the prophets of old, Jesus was not accepted by the very people to whom he had been sent. Because the people showed only little faith, he was only able to cure a few of the sick. But he went on to teach in other villages, while there were some great works done in his hometown. So, if he is not allowed to do good where he would, he must do it some other place.
Therefore, he had to move on, he did not insist on convincing those whose minds were closed. Consequently, they miss out on the blessings he is offering them. So, in their pride,, they treated him with contempt. Today, this kind of ugly attitude is what stops people from doing good because they don’t want to be treated with contempt, and as a result, a lot of people have been deprived of their blessings out of human pride and contempt.
Dear friends, do not treat anyone with contempt, for everyone is a potential instrument of God’s blessings and favour. And if we want to make a difference in life, we should be ready to ignore what people are saying about us now, we have to forget our past failures and our humble beginning. People may not appreciate us now; they may even say all kinds of things about us just to humiliate and discourage us.
But we should not give up, for we are told in our first reading that in the fight against sin, we have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of death and when the Lord corrects us, we should not treat it lightly or get discouraged when he reprimands us. For the Lord trains the ones that he loves and he punishes all those that he acknowledges as his sons. God is treating us as his sons and daughters, of course, any punishment is most painful at the time, but later, in those on whom it has been used, it bears fruit in peace and goodness.
Therefore, we should put all our obstacles behind us and work hard for our dreams, give our time to them, sacrifice our sleep and comfort, sweat for it, plan for it, overcome all our terrors of opposition, enduring pains and obstacles, with the help of God we will succeed and become a source of God's blessings. Then we will sing joyfully to God our strength and all the people will gather about us in praise of our God. And they will say: Is not this the Carpenter's sons or daughters? Where, then, did they get all these? Yes, that's who we are, for Jesus is the Carpenter of our success and salvation.
This is what we see in the life of St Agatha of Sicily, whose memorial we celebrate today, for Agatha, who, from her very early years, was notably beautiful. And because of her love for Jesus, she dedicated her life to God as a consecrated virgin. But this did not stop men from desiring her. One of the men who desired Agatha was Quintianus, and because he was of a high diplomatic ranking, thought he could force her to turn away from her vow and so force her to get married. His persistent proposals were consistently turned down by Agatha.
So Quintianus, knowing she was a Christian during the persecution of Christians by Decius, had her arrested and brought before the judge. Too bad for Agatha, because, Quintianus was also the Judge. Hence, he sentenced Agatha to prison in a brothel to see if she would change her mind. But noticing that Agatha was enduring all the torture with a sense of cheer, he commanded she be subjected to a worse form of torture, he ordered that her breasts be cut off.
Amid this torture, Agatha prayed to Jesus and committed her suffering soul to his care. And with tears falling from her eyes she died a virgin and martyr. Today she is the patron saint of Sicily, breast cancer patients, rape victims, wet nurses and a powerful intercessor for people who suffer from fire outbreaks.
LET US PRAY: Almighty God, oftentimes in our pride we treat people with contempt because of their humble background, give us the grace to realize that everyone is a potential instrument of your blessings and favour to humanity, and as we struggle towards our goals, may you crown all our efforts and sacrifices with success. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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