“Isn’t this the Son of Joseph?”

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, CA

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Everyone of us has a hometown where we were born or grew up. Jesus too, had a hometown. Last Sunday’s Gospel tells us that he returned to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and on getting there, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day. His home-folks have heard of his exploits in foreign lands. So, they asked him to take the reading and to teach. When he stood up to read, he was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. As he unrolled and open it, he found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” After the reading, he said: “Today, this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing”  (Luke 4:18-19).

Upon hearing the wonderful blessings and favors that God has promised them, they were excited. In their excitement, they spoke highly of Jesus and were also pleasantly surprised by the gracious words that came from his mouth. But as we already know, there will always be naysayers, pessimists, doubters, negative minded people and peddlers of cynicism. Some of them were present in the synagogue. While some people in the assembly were marveling at the gracious words of good-news, healing, liberty, restoration of sight and a bountiful year of God’s favor that proceeded from the mouth of Jesus, others were raising doubt about his authenticity. To make sure that Jesus was not believed or trusted, they raised the question: “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” The question immediately created doubts and skepticism in the minds of the people. Jesus read their minds and realized that they did not believe in him—not because he has done anything wrong, but because of his origin. He was a homeboy. They knew his father, Joseph. They knew his background. His sin was his background. He wasn’t one of those boys from rich, famous and noble homes. He was the son of a poor carpenter. As such, he was disbelieved, discounted, disparaged and dismissed.

But Jesus did not slip into self-pity. Instead he told them that he was aware that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place,” and that it was because of this disparaging way of looking at a homeboy prophet that Elijah, during the three and half years of severe famine in the land, was not sent to any widow in Israel, but to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon; that Elisha was not sent to the many lepers in Israel, but only to Naaman, the Syrian. Oh boy! On hearing those words which suggests that God had other plans for the Gentiles, they became infuriated, dragged him to the hill and tried to throw him over a cliff. 

You know, throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus, his home-folks never really believed in him or his message. There were large crowds of people who followed him about for different reasons. Some came for healing; others came to be fed, others came to satisfy their curiosity, yet, others came to test him or set trap for him. Even those who were enthusiastically drawn to him had some doubts. When Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, the crowds shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9). But when Pilate asked them after Jesus was arrested and brought in for trial “What shall I do with Jesus who is called Messiah?” They shouted “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:22). Jesus was always viewed with doubt, suspicion and skepticism by his folks. He was never regarded beyond being the son Joseph, the carpenter. So, when he needed someone to stand up for him, to just say, “this man is a good man; this man is innocent” no one took the risk. “What the heck?” “Isn’t he the son of Joseph?” they may have reasoned. It was as if the son of Joseph didn't deserve to live. It was as if the son or daughter of “no-body” doesn't deserve to live. It was as if those who were born with no spoon at all do not deserve to live. It was as if an ordinary person, an everyday person, someone with no political, religious and economic connection does not deserve to live. Everything that Jesus did and taught was dismissed and ignored simply because he was the son of Joseph, because he did not come from an upper class society. All the miracles, signs and wonders, numerous healing that he performed and the amazing message of salvation that he preached were not enough to convince the doubters. It was after his death on the cross, which was immediately followed by the tearing into two, from top to bottom, the curtain in the temple, the splitting of rocks, the earthquakes and other mysterious events that took place, that made the centurion and those guarding him to finally exclaim, “Truly, this man is the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). But before then, Jesus was just “the son of Joseph;” someone to ignore, to dismiss, to belittle, and to do away with.

Familiarity, we are told, brings contempt. Jesus’ hometown folks had difficulty accepting the message of a man they were familiar with. Jesus grew up among them, he lived among them, ate with them and worshipped with them. Obviously they saw his holiness, his devotion, and his love for God. They knew he did not commit any sin or crime. But what could have kept them from believing his claims? Have you ever wondered why none of the 12 Apostles came from his immediate family? They saw him everyday! They saw him work, eat, get up in the morning and even use the bathroom. They were familiar with him but not intimate with him.

We can also fall into this trap. In the beginning, we were on fire for Jesus, but as time passes by, we fall into a daily routine that saps out the very life of God from us. Although we still come to church, attend several church activities, but our intimacy level with him may be dropping. We may have defined Christianity by our activities for God rather than our intimacy with him. Jesus’ relatives could tell so much about him— his favorite food, sports, color, etc. But they may not tell who he was. Intimacy with Jesus is not gained through seniority but through an ongoing relationship and intimacy. There are a good number of people who have grown up with Jesus, but today, the life they live is no longer different from those that do not know him. It’s possible they now see him only as “Joseph son!” They may know a lot about Jesus but do not really know him. Our relationship with him must produce an ever-increasing love for him and his people. Like John the Baptist, “He must increase, and we must decrease.”  As we live our Christian life, let’s strive to avoid spiritual indifference. It steals our intimacy with him, makes him simply “Joseph son.” Remember, we exist primarily to seek God, to love him and serve him. We are not just our parents’ children, we are God’s children.