“ISN’T HE THE SON OF JOSEPH?” Lk 4:22b

The fact that we are born in a certain place, people know us as we are, what we do for a living or merely one of those who live in that place. Our origin speaks a lot about our ways, our intonations and sometimes our thinking.

Like in the Gospel today, a phrase tells us of people who were marveling (or could be questioning) the ways of Jesus, He is preaching beyond expectation, being the son of Joseph, the carpenter. Let us remember Jesus too, had those odd experiences. Yet, in Nazareth, He had been a good listener to his father and mother, a keen observer while they were working, tried his crafts, “his way” of learning the art of carpentry. Thus, he learned to obey, to question realities of his time, to befriend the poor and rich of his neighborhood as well as go “partying” with his friends. Yet, he was always at his best in maintaining His connection with the Father in heaven. That even while partying in a wedding at Cana, he obeyed his mother Mary’s request to aid the situation of the bridegroom. So, Jesus invoked His Father in heaven for the blessing of his first ever miracle (Jn 2:1-11).

In our time, the choice as to how and where to in our lives remains ours, our very own decision. God works thru us, of course with our consent. Let us not forget about it. I remember our Jesuit confessor used to say: “whether we do good or bad, people talk about us. And so, as Christians, let us pursue to what edifies, to what makes people find the way to be better, to get nearer to the Light. Each day, strive to be light.”

Let us not be carried away by merely what people say nor what they think about us or of our origin. People grow and change. As St. Thomas Aquinas used to say… “if the mind is sufficient to itself, it is insufficient for itself”. Contemplate. Get out of the way, make our own way, find that light that is given to each one. Never give up. Learn and grow with people around us, befriend with the weak and the strong and allow God to work in us.

Let us be grateful for the good and little things learned in our beginnings for they are little lights for us and for others as we journey along.

Nini Rebollos