How Not to Go Home

[Jesus] said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” – Luke 4:23-24 (NRSV) 

I never really noticed till now that when Jesus said, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown,” he was beating his family and neighbors to the punch. Until that moment in his prodigal return, it was all joy and public accolades. Local boy made good!  

But then things took a sour turn—and it was Jesus who turned them. “I know what happens next. You’re going to ask me to do parlor tricks. You’ll want to extract favors from me. Well guess what, buster! You’re gonna turn on me. I know you will.”  

And, of course, they do. They became so enraged that they tried to throw him off a cliff. Jesus, being Jesus, slipped magically away.  

Did Jesus truly know, with precognitive powers, that this is what would happen? Or did he precipitate their rejection with his? 

It’s almost the holidays. You’re probably about to face some people you grew up with. Lots of us find it hard to go home, to believe that we will be fully seen as the people we have become instead of the child or youth or young adult they have trapped in amber. But sometimes they do see how we have grown and changed, and we still distrust their motives. Reject them before they have a chance to reject us.  

Even after receiving the baptismal affirmation that he was God’s Beloved, Jesus found it hard to trust the affirmation of humans. Perhaps with good reason. But how will we know—unless we take a little risk? 

Prayer
God, make a miracle happen this holiday season. Let me be wholly myself, but a little less defended, at home and everywhere.

About the Author
Rev. Molly Baskette is the lead pastor of First Church Berkeley UCC and the author of books about church renewal, parenting, spiritual growth and more. Sign up for her author newsletter or get information about her newest book at mollybaskette.com.