By Martin Madalai Muthu csc –
Readings: 1 Cor 2: 1-5; Lk 4: 16-30
Scripture says, ‘fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.’ Today’s liturgy invites us to know the difference between human wisdom and God’s power. St. Paul says in the first reading that having our human wisdom to preach God or live the life of Jesus in our everyday life goes in vain if there is no power of God in it. And if we tend to see only the human wisdom of those how we live and speak with, and fail to see God’s power, we will become like the people who hated Jesus in his hometown. Jesus read the word of God and spoke about the grace of God in his town where he grew up. But people planned to throw him down the cliff because they did not see the power of God which was working through him. Rather they were fixed on seeing the qualification of Jesus and his biological family.
This incident made me realize that at times I do act in the same way with people with whom I live or encounter. There is a tendency to respect the one who studied more in a subject rather than the one who has more experience in the same subject. In reality, words without action have no meaning. For example, though there are some good faithful, who are ready and willing to share their God-given talents with us freely, yet we seek the person who is certified, and we are ready to pay for their service/advice.
It is like finding medicine for our sickness from the shop despite having the best medicine in our garden. Today let us ask God to give us the grace to see the power of God within us and in people who are around us. And let us have the courage to seek the power of God and continue to march in his mission like St. Paul. Let us not forget the magical words: God qualifies the unqualified.