SCRIPTURE; 1ST READING– JEREMIAH 1:4-5, 17-19
2ND READING– 1 CORINTHIANS 12: 31–13:13
GOSPEL– LUKE 4: 21–30
Mr. Johnson’s son Timmy, was outside shooting some hoops when one of his contact lenses popped out. Timmy spent the good part of his time outside looking for his missing lens without any luck. He went into the house and told his father that he had lost one of his lens, and he could not find it after almost an hour.
Mr. Johnson went outside and in about one minute came back into the house and gave his son his missing lens. Timmy said; “Dad, how did you find it so fast? I was on my hands and knees for almost an hour and I could not find it.” Mr. Johnson answered, “Son, you were looking for a piece of plastic. I was looking for $150.00”.
Having the right sense of values is important, especially for Christians. If our sense of values are mixed up we most likely will not recognize the truly important things in our lives. Like Timmy, the people of Nazareth did not recognize the importance and real value of what they had standing in front of them.
They saw Jesus as the little boy who grew up in front of them. They saw Mary and Joseph, Jesus’ mother and father, and other relatives and friends still living among them. While remembering Jesus as a little boy, they saw Jesus as someone small, not seeing Jesus as the true value of the person standing in front of the them.
This is one of the reasons they rejected Jesus. They were proud of His growing in celebrity status, however, they could not see who He really was. They could not accept Him as the long awaited Messiah, their Savior. Their mixed and messed up sense of values caused them to fail to see God in their midst.
This is a similar scenario that was plaguing Corinth prompting St. Paul to write his first letter to the small community of believers there. Corinth was a major trading city. It had people from all over the Roman Empire living there, so there were temples to just about every pagan god there was. There were a lot of vises there as you probably could imagine especially for a major trading city. Can you imagine what is was like for a Christian?
Among other things, one of the wrong values they were struggling with was jealousy. Many had become jealous by the more charismatic gifts that others had been blessed with: the gift of prophesy, of healing, of tongues. The Christian community started to think that those who had these gifts were better than those who did not.
We seem to have this problem even today. Our society is based on those who have and more and more we see this wayward sense of values causing more and more to have little to nothing. Ever notice how many people we see at the food bank and other outreach organizations? I am sure that most in this situation are embarrassed and ashamed, when indeed they are truly the gifts of our Church.
No doubt some of you have been in this situation sometime in your lives. It happened to me where I had to reach out for help. So, I have a very deep respect for those who are there looking for help. Can we call ourselves Christian while turning away and not seeing? Is this the kind of values we are expected to hold? I don’t think so.
You can have all the gifts of life and even a charismatic gift of tongue, prophesy, etc.,which are good in themselves, however, they are not sufficient if we fail to value the greatest gift of all-LOVE! This is why St. Paul says to the Corinthians; “I shall show you a still more excellent way.” That more excellent way is the way of Love. For St. Paul, love was not merely a sentimental emotion, nor was it some kind of abstract feeling. For him, love was a down to earth, practical way of dealing with neighbor, with all people, day and night!
Love is the most common thread, the most constant word we hold dear to us as Christians. Love changes minds and hearts and brings us ever so close to our Savior Jesus Christ. Love keeps the body of Christ intact. This emotion, this constant carries such an impact that God created us because of His un-exhaustible and infinite love.
Love carries such an impact that God became man in Jesus, died on a cross, and rose from the dead, ascended into heaven to give us the way to the Father because of His perpetual love for you and me. His love is so strong that He gave us his body and blood in the Eucharist so that we too can love as he loves.
Just imagine how it would have been for those in Nazareth if their sense of values was based on love! Do you feel they would have acted differently with Jesus? Take a look at our own situations in life; in our work place, in our schools, in our homes, in our Church – would their be situations that would have been different for us if our main values, our main focus at those times were based on love?
St. Paul said; “Love is kind.” What can be more simpler than that? Yet it seems as if we are living in a time when it is more common for us to forget to say please, and thank you, and excuse me. Love is patient, is not jealous, as was the people of Nazareth who rejected Jesus. Love is not pompous, it is not rude.
Everything that St. Paul lists is very practical and is a great way to take a look at ourselves, to do an examination of conscience to see how well we are doing as we follow Jesus who is the way and the truth, and the true value. Let us not get discouraged. Paul ensures us that; “Love never fails.”
We must truly recognize and truly experience the love of Christ Jesus in our lives and then we will, through Him, love God with all our strength, all our will. Only when we are truly in a loving relationship with Jesus will we bear good fruit, the real acts of charity that He calls us to do.
When we come forward bringing ourselves to God’s altar to join with Jesus in offering ourselves to Him, when we receive the body and blood of Jesus in us, let us pray to receive the totality of God’s love and to love Him with the totality of our being. Then we will grow in Christ – like love that is the most excellent way.
My sisters and brothers, keep love in your mind, on your lips, and in your hearts and do not be shaken if that someone standing in front of you is Jesus, your Savior.