“Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted
in his own native place."
(Luke 4:24)
A person’s talents and wisdom are often not recognized by those who are familiar with them, such as their family, friends, or local community. This could be due to familiarity breeding contempt, or people finding it hard to accept that someone they’ve known in a certain context has abilities or insights they were unaware of.
This saying has been interpreted in various ways and is often used in discussions about the challenges faced by individuals who try to bring about change or new ideas in their own communities. It serves as a reminder that recognition and acceptance often come from beyond one’s familiar surroundings.
In the land where the known is a constant sight,
where the day is familiar as the night,
there grows a seed, silent and deep,
in the heart's garden, where secrets we keep.
Familiar faces, familiar strides,
in the echo of voices, where contempt resides.
the mystery fades, the enchantment wanes
in the realm of the known, where familiarity reigns.
The rose in the garden, once a delight
now lost its charm, in the everyday light.
The song of the bird, once a symphony so bright
now a mundane tune in the daylight.
Familiarity, they say, breeds contempt so cold,
in the stories retold, in the hands we hold.
But is it the truth, or a perception old,
in the heart's narrative, in the tales we've told?
For familiarity can also breed love so deep,
in the promises we make, in the dreams we keep.
In the laughter shared, in the tears we weep,
in the memories cherished, in the bonds we keep.
So, let not familiarity breed contempt or disdain
but let it nurture love, let it heal the pain.
For in the end, it's love that will sustain
in the land of the known, where familiarity will reign.
Dear Heavenly Father,
In the quiet of my heart, I come to you seeking wisdom, seeking strength, seeking truth. Help me to see the beauty in the familiar, to find joy in the everyday, to keep my heart similar. When familiarity breeds contempt, guide me to your light, help me to see your love in every day and night. In the faces I see daily, in the voices I know, help me to find Your presence, help my love to grow. Teach me to cherish the known, the routine, the same, to see Your hand in all, to glorify Your name.
When monotony overwhelms, when the new becomes old, remind me of your constant love, a story forever told. Help me to serve with love, to give without restraint, to see you in others, without complaint. In my thoughts, in my actions, in all that I do, let me reflect your love, let me honor you.
Thank you for your guidance, for your unfailing love, for the blessings you shower, from the heavens above. Deep is my desire, to know you, to be forever in your presence, eternally free. In Jesus' holy name, I pray, Amen.
Pericope:
IV: The Ministry in Galilee
THE REJECTION AT NAZARETH
Luke 4:16-30
Gospel Acclamation
I hope in the Lord, I trust in his word; with him there is kindness and plenteous redemption.
Gospel | Luke 4:24-30
24 Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. 25 Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. 26 It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. 29 They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
Reflection Source:
Conversation with Copilot
