14 th Sunday Ordinary Time 7 July 2024 Sermon

14^th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 7 July 2024 Acceptance and Obedience

In the Gospel we have Jesus being rejected by His own people. We can understand that it might be difficult to think of someone from your own town would be a messianic figure, let alone God and Saviour!

But after constant miracles and profound teaching, they should have been prepared to give Him a fair hearing.

Too close for some, too far away for others – those who say they need not import ‘Christianity’; they have their own religions already.

There is no pleasing people when they are in a defiant mood. Our Lord compared the Pharisees with children in the marketplace who would tease anyone with any sort of contradiction (Lk 7,32).

In the face of great miracles the pharisees were more worried about the day of the week than the good effects of the miracle. They objected to Sabbath miracles (Mt 12,1-8).

It is easy to be negative about anything different, especially if we are in a despondent mood. Five loaves – what is that among so many? (Jn 6,8-11)

To every promise of better things we can recall bad things from the past and allow our hope to be smothered.

We can be critical even of God, wanting to dispute His ways. Why does He not stop all the things that are wrong, or go wrong? why does He not do what I ask?

God invites us to believe in Him, and entrust ourselves to His care.

We have the freedom to reject His offer, but how much misery that will bring.

It is better just to accept His invitation to the banquet, or to Come follow Him.  trusting His wisdom and His timing.

Naaman the Syrian was offered healing if he would bathe in the River Jordan. His first reaction was to dispute the offer, saying he had rivers just as good back home.

But his servant helped him to see things more plainly. Just do what the prophet asks you to do. He accepted that advice and was healed. (2 K 5,1-19)

If people prayed more and complained less, imagine the difference! All that energy we could use more profitably than by complaining and disputing.

Why not simply accept the way God has set things up, and resolve to obey Him at every turn?

God could do things more directly and use His miraculous power more often.

Generally He prefers to work through our response. He builds us up in faith and humility and so we take part in our own salvation.

This is a miracle on slow cooker; over years we can learn to trust God more and be more compliant with His will (Compliant is just two letter different from Complaint!)

The human race has been arguing with God since Day One. We can try a different line.

Each of us can do something. Each of us is unique as to when and where we live, what gifts we have and weaknesses too; it all goes into the mix and we take our place - which others can cover for but cannot fully replace.

Whatever God asks of us it will be the right thing, so we set ourselves to work with Him and follow His leading.

In our time it is vital that we hold on to our faith in the chill winds of scepticism and cynicism. Many have rejected the plain truth of God's revelation; in these times we must make it known. The carpenter’s son from Nazareth commands our attention.