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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
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Gospel text (Mk 6,1-6): Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? (…)." And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” (…). He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Jesus does not remove anything from the "Torah", but He "adds": He adds Himself

EDITORIAL TEAM evangeli.net (based on texts by Benedict XVI) (Città del Vaticano, Vatican)

Today, the “debate” surrounding Jesus of Nazareth stands out. Elsewhere in the Gospels we can see how Pharisees and scribes argue and get “shocked”… Now even His own countrymen and relatives do too: they believe they know Him, but actually they do not. To get to know Him we need faith: miracles do not suffice!

The "I" of Jesus ("I say...") creates a "conflict" in His listeners. His interlocutors understand Jesus is not trying to remove anything from the sacred "Law"; quite on the contrary, He is adding. But He is adding Himself: He is the “Torah”, He is greater than the Temple and Lord of the Sabbath"... This is the central point of the Jews’ "alarm": the centrality of Jesus “I” in His message, which gives everything a new direction. Perfection (the state of being holy as God is holy) as demanded by the "Torah", now consists in following Jesus.

—This mysterious identification of Jesus and God that is reflected in His words is, precisely, the center of the Christian faith: Jesus, You are the Son of God!