First Reading: A reading from the prophet Ezekiel 2:2-5

The people are rebellious; they shall know there will be a prophet in their midst.

The spirit came into me and made me stand up, and I heard the Lord speaking to me. He said, 'Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to the rebels who have turned against me. Till now they and their ancestors have been in recvolt against me. The sons are defiant and obstinate; I am sending you to them, to say, "The Lord says this." Whether they listen or not, this set of rebels shall know there is a prophet among them'.

This is the word of the Lord

Second Reading: A reading from the Second Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 2Cor 12:7-10

I will glory in my infirmities so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

In view of the extraordinary nature of these revelations, to stop me from getting too proud I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and stop me from getting too proud! About this thing, I have pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me, but he has said, 'My grace is enough for you: my power is at its best in weakness'. So I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me, and that is why I am quite content with the weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies I go through for Christ's sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.

This is the word of the Lord.

Gospel Reading: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark Mk 6:1-6

A prophet is despised only in his own country.

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming odf the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They sadi, 'Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?' And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is only despised in his own country among his own relations and in his own house'; and he could work no miracle there, through he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at thier lack of faith.

The Gospel of the Lord.

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Son of Mary

As we've walked with the apostles in the Gospels in recent weeks, we've witnessed Jesus command the wind and sea, and order a little girl to arise from the dead. But He seems to meet His match in His hometown of Nazareth. Today's Gospel is blunt: "He was not able to perform any mighty deed there." Why not? Because of the people's lack of faith. They acknowledged the wisdom of His words, the power of His works. But they refused to recognize Him as a prophet come among them, a messenger sent by God.

All they could see was how much "this man" was like them - a carpenter, the son of their neighbor, Mary, with brothers and sisters. Of course, Mary was ever-virgin, and had no other children. The Gospel refers to Jesus' brothers as Paul refers to all Israelites as his brothers, the children of Abraham (see Romans 9:3,7).

That's the point in today's Gospel, too. Like the prophet Ezekiel in today's First Reading, Jesus was sent by God to the rebellious house of Israel, where He found His own brothers and sisters obstinate of heart and in revolt against God.

The servant is not above the Master (see Matthew 10:24). As His disciples, we too face the mockery and contempt we hear of in today's Psalm. And isn't it often hardest to live our faith among those in our own families, those who think they really know us, who define us by the people we used to be - before we chose to walk with Jesus?

The demons' question: "What have you to do with us?" is often used in Old Testament scenes of combat and judgment (see Judges 11:12; 1 Kings 17:18)

As Paul confides in today's Epistle, insults and hardships are God's way of teaching us to rely solely on His grace.

Jesus will work no mighty deeds in our lives unless we abandon ourselves to Him in faith. Blessed then are those who take no offense in Him (see Luke 7:23). Instead, we must look upon Him with the eyes of servants - knowing that the son of Mary is also the Lord enthroned in the heavens.