Post-feast of the Exaltation of the Cross; Holy Martyr Sophia, and Her Three Daughters Faith, Hope and Love
Read
Galatians 2:21-3:7; Mark 6:1-7
Since my ordination to the priesthood, I get very anxious and nervous to serve at the parish I grew up at and preach to the people that remember me as a squirmy child or eager altar boy. Hearing Jesus say “A prophet is not without honour, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household“ makes me worry about their reaction to the message of my homily or the words I offer as guidance or advice.
All of us have had interactions with various clergy and because of those interactions, we form an opinion of that person. Whenever he speaks, especially during a homily, our pre-conceived notion of him gets in the way of us hearing the word of God through his words. Our opinion of him overshadows God working through him.
One of my brother seminarians once said to me, “I always ask the Holy Spirit to help me hear something new in every homily, no matter who the priest is, how many times he has preached this homily, or how uninspiring and boring I may find his preaching.”
May we not allow our preconceived notions of people to get in the way of us hearing the word of God through their lips!