We have a saying that "Familiarity breeds contempt". It seems to be at work in today's Gospel when Jesus visits his home town of Nazareth. And, in a way it is not surprising. After all, Jesus had lived in this small town for thirty odd years. It was a place where everyone knew everyone else. Jesus, Mary and Joseph rubbed shoulders with these people every day. They knew all his relatives. They did not seem to be very different. It is not likely that Jesus had a higher education than the other people in the village.

So they are baffled that Jesus can have such miraculous powers or that he can be endowed with such wisdom. And, says the Gospel, because they thought they knew him so well, they would not accept him. As Jesus told them, a prophet is not accepted by his own people. They only see the external person and are deaf and blind to the message he brings. And, because of their lack of faith, sadly Jesus could not do any healings there.

The same thing can happen so easily to us. Christ comes to us every day, most often in people we think we know or people we tend to see negatively, and we fail to hear what he is saying to us through them. Today's story is not a condemnation of the people of Nazareth but is pointed directly at each one us.