4TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
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Dear friends in Christ,
The Gospel today shows the dramatic contrast between the initial benevolence of those who heard Jesus’ first preaching and their final rejection, between the “all spoke highly of him” and the “all were filled with fury”. What happened?

What happened back then is what happens still today. It is easy to speak highly of Jesus as long as He says nice things; it is easy to like his words as long as they do not make us uncomfortable. But when Jesus challenges our life, the initial admiration frequently turns into rejection. Anyone who has heard the call to announce the good news of Christ knows the truth of this reality. In the first reading, Jeremiah, consecrated to be a prophet even before his birth, had to experience the opposition of those who felt his message to be too harsh. However, he trusted in God’s promise: they will fight against you but will not prevail over you.

How can someone trust in the midst of opposition and difficulties? The answer is found in the second reading: true love endures all things; true love never fails. Love, a gift from God, is what strengthens us as we try to share the good news.

United in prayer,
Fr. Daniel

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