杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

鈥淚 am thinking of families who are cooped up鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis began the morning liturgy at the Casa Santa Marta on Monday morning. 鈥淢ay the Lord help them to discover new ways, new expressions of love, of living together in this new situation. It's a beautiful opportunity to creatively rediscover affection鈥�. Let's pray for families so that the relationships within the family at this moment might flourish always for the good.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on the behavior of Naaman and the people in the synagogue of Nazareth during his homily inspired by the readings of Monday of the Third Week of Lent (2 Kings 5:1-15; Luke 4:24-30).

Indignation

杏MAP导航 Francis unpacked the indignation demonstrated in both of Monday鈥檚 readings. At first, the people in the synagogue like what Jesus says. But when they ask themselves 鈥渨hat university did he study at? This is Mary and Joseph鈥檚 son鈥� He was a carpenter鈥� What can He possibly have to say to us?鈥� they become indignant to the point that they resort to physical violence. Naaman, too, becomes indignant when Elisha suggests that he bathe seven times in the Jordan River. His reaction leads him to resort to verbal violence. 鈥淚ndignation always leads to violence鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渆ither physical or verbal鈥�.

What鈥檚 the problem?

Both Naaman and the people of Nazareth were 鈥済ood people鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis said. 鈥淲hat's behind these good people that leads them to react indignantly?鈥� he asked.

He responded saying their idea of God was such that they thought He 鈥渕anifested Himself only through the extraordinary, through things that are out of the ordinary, that God couldn鈥檛 act through the commonalities of life, in simplicity鈥�.

Reaction against simplicity

The indignation manifested in both readings is a reaction against simplicity, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued.

鈥淭hey despised the simple things. And our God makes us understand that He always acts through the simple things: the simplicity of the house of Nazareth鈥�the simplicity of everyday work鈥�the simplicity of prayer鈥�simple things. Instead, the worldly spirit moves us toward vanity, toward appearances. Both end in violence. Naaman, who was very educated, slams the door in the prophet鈥檚 face and takes off 鈥� violence, a violent action. The people in the synagogue begin to get angrier and angrier. They make the decision to kill Jesus, however unconsciously. They drive him out to push him over the cliff.鈥�

Indignant people

Proud people get indignant, but they are also poor in spirit, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted. 鈥淭he proud live only with illusions of being more than they really are鈥�. Many times these people need to become indignant to feel that they are someone鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 explained.

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded inviting us to think about 鈥渢he indignation of the people in the synagogue of Nazareth and Namaan鈥檚 indignation鈥� as a result of the fact that they 鈥渄id not understand the simplicity of our God鈥�.