In today's Gospel, Jesus makes a bold move that disrupts one of his more intimate social circles: his local community. The town of Nazareth during the time of Christ had a population of less than 1,000 people; that's the equivalent of a small town in Nebraska for us Americans. As is the norm in towns like this, everyone knows everyone and everyone knows everything. The community is so close it becomes almost like a family.

I imagine that upon his return to Nazareth, Christ was showered with equal amounts of love and scrutiny. Words of "How have you been? How is your mother, Mary?" and gossip about what had occurred at the River Jordan. As a visiting Rabbi, Jesus was given the honor of reading and reflecting on the Scriptures in the Synagogue, the epicenter of the community. As he looked at all the eyes of upon him and said, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing," I can almost feel the shock and confusion that might have rippled through the community. Surely he's not saying he's...the Messiah? Jesus? The Carpenter's boy?

Sadly, his community can't accept his words, unable to see God in a face so familiar to them. It's an occurrence that happens more often in our daily lives than we realize.

What is an area of your life where you struggle to see God's work? Are you truly open to positive change, even if it's uncomfortable and radical?

Lord, open our eyes so that we might truly see your face. Open our hearts so that you might transform them and make them like yours. Amen.