Fourth Sunday of the Epiphany

Fourth Sunday of the Epiphany

Jeremiah 1:4-10; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30

There have always be some for whom the “coming of the Lord” had not been good new. Jeremiah was not thrilled by the call of God to be God’s prophet. Jeremiah argued, “I’m too young,” “I can’t speak.” God made it possible. God puts the words in the mouth of the prophets and preachers. God enters into dialogue with humanity through human means, and empowers the speech by the spirit. Yet, it does not make it easy for the prophet to speak, nonetheless, because the content of the speech is frequently not a popular message. That was certainly the case for Jeremiah.

Jesus’ introduction in the temple was not popular in its time, however, the unpopularity was more related to the fact that they knew him, or thought that they knew him. For the people of his hometown, familial connections that they knew through Joseph were another obstacle in the way of their acceptance of Jesus’ as the Messiah. They could only see what lay on the outside and far more was necessary. Faith was needed to see God present in the mortal Jesus.

Faith is needed to see God at work in the entire world. Jesus reflected upon the difficulty of God’s decision to “go outside” of the clan. In the draught not member received the blessing of God. Elijah went to a gentile community of Zarephath to bring the miracle. In the ministry of Elisha, healing came not to someone in the family of Israel, but to a Syrian. The difficulty presented in Jesus’ preaching reflected God’s willingness to go outside of the family to reach out for the gentiles. Jesus’ reflection upon the acceptance, or the lack of acceptance at home was the precursor for the lack of acceptance that he would find in Israel. They wanted to kill him here. They were going to succeed at Jerusalem. Yet God reaches into the world with healing and with compassion for those who need help with no regard on nationality or connection. God’s love simply does not remain confined within the boundaries of “religion” or family. The community of God’s family must follow Jesus’ example. The community is present in the world to reach out beyond itself to those who are outside.

Paul’s letter addresses the centrality of love in that community. In the Corinthian letter, love is the central ethic of Christian practice. Love reaches beyond the limitation of human frailty and self-centeredness. Love is what is to guide all relationships in the kingdom of God.