Daily Readings - Sun Jul 04 2021
Ezekiel
3He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day.4The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.'5And whether they listen or fail to listen-for they are a rebellious house-they will know that a prophet has been among them.
2 Corinthians
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Mark
1Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.2When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.3"Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.4Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."5He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.6And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
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.