First Reading - Hebrews 12:4-7,11-15
Gospel - Mark 6:1-6
The first reading deals with the problems and struggles of our everyday life. The passage encourages the believers to have a positive attitude towards their problems and struggles. The passage underscores the struggles of our lives as the ways to perfection; the ways willed by God for our betterment. The author quotes the lines from the Book of Proverbs to demonstrate that God's love or concern for His own children can also be shown through their pain and suffering so that they could become more mature and able to recieve grace from Him. The author emphasizes that the goal of the believers is to achieve holiness and peace which finally leads to the life in Christ. However, to live the life of peace and holiness, a certain curb on natural desires in human relationships is inevitable. Therefore, what is required is to have an attitude of a humble child who wills to be disciplined and guided by God through the struggles and pains in life.
The gospel passage highlights one of the hiccups faced by Jesus in his own hometown. The people of his own hometown heard Jesus speak with astonishment but were found hard-hearted to believe in him because he happened to be the son of a carpenter and from an ordinary family and above all a familiar face. In fact, the attitude of disbelief and disdain overwhelmed people and that prevented them to accept Jesus as the promised Messiah. On the other side, Jesus looks at everything with positive outlook. He realizes that his own people did find it hard to accept him because of their prejudices. However, he accepts the fact and moves on in his work.
Dear friends, many people ask, why there is suffering or pain or struggle in life? Why there is no only happiness, joy, and pleasure? The question seems really practical but is only one-sided. We know that there is joy of being born but there is also sadness of leaving this world. Joy and sorrow makes our life complete. The first reading reminds us today to accept the challenges and difficulties of our lives with an attitude of a child (of God), like Jesus in the gospel. The first reading also tells us that the sufferings and struggles are on our way so that we become more able people to recieve grace from God and live like the children of God. In fact, the life in Christ or our pursuit for holiness and peace does entail struggles, pains, and sufferings. However, they are not the end but God comes to our aid to help us too. Let's not have a pessimist idea towards our life for the struggles and pains but harbour optimistic outlook towards life. Negativity towards life can cause disbelief, doubt, and rejection of the grace of God like the people, in the hometown of Jesus, who were driven by negative ideas and were deprived of the great works of Jesus. Let's be open to accept the grace of God flowing through our event of life.
May we have the attitude of Jesus to accept our every situation, bad or good, happy and sad.
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