Reflection - Raised Eyebrows

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/020117.cfm
Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15
Mark 6:1-6

This morning's Gospel reading is one of those where it's easy to read right through an apparent contradiction. (You did see the contradiction, didn't you?) I'm not sure why the incongruity is so easy to miss. Possibly the text just flows too evenly. Possibly it seemed to you, just as it did initially to me, to be a peculiarity of the author's writing style. Possibly we don't see it because we re-interpret the first part as we hear the second part.

When the people in the village ask  "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him?" we initially assume that these are favorable observations. That interpretation is reinforced by the exclamation in the preceding comment "many who heard him were astonished." as well as by the obvious surprise they exhibit in the next line: "What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!"

But the tenor of the remarks subtly shifts as they begin to ask more questions. "Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon?  And are not his sisters here with us?" It seems the crowd is now asking aloud "Who does he think he is?" We are familiar with remarks similar to these; and we shuffle our understanding of the verses we read before. Later in the Gospel, the Pharisees would ask a similar question; and Jesus himself would address the question to the Disciples. "Who do men say that I am?" and then reiterate the same question but now re-directing it, this time toward the disciples: "But who do you say that I am?" (Mark 8:27-29) However, the tenor of the question as posed here in Mark's Gospel is not that of someone seeking information.

Subsequently, the questioning of the people in this passage becomes even more direct and the attitude of the people appears to come out into the open and reveal its true character . . . Or were those raised eyebrows there all along? "They took offense at him."

Luke's Gospel provides a clue as to what may have brought about the shift in attitude that we have noticed. When Luke recounts this story he includes a line of text that Matthew and Mark do not: "What we have heard you did at Caper'na-um, do here also in your own country." (Luke 4:23) Apparently, the people of Jesus' hometown of Nazareth had heard of Jesus' miracles in cities like Caper'na-um. Mark suggests that very idea by the statement: "What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!" Now they demand that miracles be worked for them.

It seems particularly appropriate to me that this Gospel text should be followed by the words of Psalm 103.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
The kindness of the LORD is from eternity to eternity
The Lord's kindness is everlasting

Unlike my God, persistence and consistency in my spiritual life are not among my most reliable virtues. It's easy to slip into the pattern exemplified by the people of Nazareth. It's easy to fall into a "What have you done for me lately" attitude? which is why, I would conjecture, the Psalmist deems it necessary to remind his reader to "forget not all his benefits."

It's easy to surreptitiously acclaim my will to be the standard for action and the measure of achievement and to subtly grade God's kindness and compassion according to whether or not He does "here also in my country what I heard of Him doing elsewhere." My will be done! 

Doubts, misgivings, reservations, skepticism, mistrust --- all lurk in the shadows of my consciousness, ready to bring dissonance into my spiritual life. There have been times --- thankfully, they were earlier in my life --- when I even took offense. Offended that my life was being disordered. Offended that what I prayed for didn't happen as planned. Offended that my will was not done.

Neither faith nor trust are retained without effort. Like the defensive player who seeks to strip the ball from my hands, so too is evil constantly on the alert to my carelessness, waiting to strip me of both faith and trust. So my need for a constant reminder is answered in the words of the Psalmist.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him,

For he knows how we are formed;
he remembers that we are dust.

But the kindness of the LORD is from eternity
to eternity toward those who fear him,

And his justice toward children's children
among those who keep his covenant.