7 July 2024 - 14th ordinary Sunday "B
Ezek 2:2-5; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Mk 6:1-6
Homily
When Jesus arrives in Nazareth (for we assume that this is indeed Nazareth, even though Mark, no doubt deliberately, does not name the town), his reputation has preceded him. If we read the preceding chapters of Mark's Gospel, we see that not only did Jesus' reputation as a miracle-worker precede him to Nazareth, but so did his reputation as a dangerous figure among the Pharisees and the leaders of the people -- who had already decided to have him killed (Mk 3:6). We know that he taught in his own name and not like the scribes (Mk 1:22). We know that he did not observe tradition, daring to touch a leper and allowing his disciples to pluck ears of corn and crush them on the Sabbath and even to heal on that day (Mk 1:39-45; 2:23-3:6); we know that he went to eat in the homes of disreputable people (Mk 2:14-17), and so on. Moreover, because of all this, his own family had concluded that he had lost his mind and had come, including his mother, to look for him and bring him home (Mk 3:21; 31-35).