Further Up Further In

Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country and in his own house’, and he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Mt.13:57,58

Jesus teaches in the synagogues of his hometown but his former neighbours reject him, labelling him as simply a man who gets his powers from somewhere else. Jesus leaves, working few miracles for their lack of faith.

There would have been need in the town, no different from the rest of Palestine. I suspect there were few miracles because there were few requests. And there were few requests because there was little hope that a miracle could be performed. Lack of faith leads to lack of hope.

This is the opposite to yesterday's Gospel, where Martha had complete faith in Jesus resulting in Lazarus' resurrection. I step into today as a man of faith and hope in the goodness of God. Here come the miracles....

Jesus, again I thank you and praise you for the gifts of faith and hope. Because of you I am always looking further up and further in. 
Saint Philip Neri, please pray for us.