Daily Readings - Sun Jul 04 2021
Ezekiel
3And he said to me, "Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day.4The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.'5And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.
2 Corinthians
7So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Mark
1He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.2And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.4And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household."5And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.6And he marveled because of their unbelief.And he went about among the villages teaching.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter three distinct yet interconnected themes: the call to prophetic mission, the embrace of weakness, and the challenge of rejection. Ezekiel is sent by God to a rebellious people, despite their hardness of heart, to speak God’s word. Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, shares his own struggle with a “thorn in the flesh,” a weakness he prayed to be removed, only to learn that God’s grace is sufficient in frailty. Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus faces rejection in his own hometown, where his neighbors fail to see beyond his familiar identity as a carpenter’s son, and thus he is unable to perform miracles there.
These readings remind us that God’s work is often accomplished through human limitations and despite human resistance. Ezekiel’s mission is not conditional on the people’s response; he is simply called to speak. Paul’s weakness becomes the very place where God’s power is revealed, teaching us that our vulnerabilities are not obstacles but opportunities for grace. Jesus’ experience in Nazareth shows that even the Messiah faces rejection, but this does not stop him from continuing his mission. Together, these passages invite us to trust in God’s providence, even when our efforts seem futile or when we feel inadequate.
In our daily lives, we often face similar challenges: resistance to our efforts, feelings of inadequacy, or rejection from those closest to us. The readings encourage us to embrace these struggles as part of our own spiritual journey. Like Ezekiel, we are called to fidelity in sharing God’s word, even when it is difficult. Like Paul, we can find strength in our weaknesses, knowing that God’s grace is enough. And like Jesus, we can persevere in our mission, trusting that even in the face of rejection, God is at work. Let us, then, approach life with humility and faith, knowing that God’s plan is not hindered by our limitations but often revealed through them.