Monday August 31, 2026

Luke 4:16-30

Jesus came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did.

This beautiful passage reminds me of going home and revisiting the places that made me. Recently a friend of mine remarked after 26 years in America that home has become a little complicated. Home for him is Poland where he was brought up and there is a little bit of home in every place he has lived. Those of us who have been blessed with the experience of going home know the feeling of hitting our favorite spots. The gym, the church, the tavern. We go back to those places because they hold dear memories and maybe a little secret here and there that went into creating the persons we have become.

Jesus went home and visited his favorite spots. The people at the synagogue wondered about him. Isn’t this the son of Joseph they asked. And they could not bring themselves to accept him as a Rabbi. There was something about being the son of Joseph that infuriated people or made them dismiss and deny Jesus.

Sometimes we think we have to deny something about ourselves for the cool kids to accept us. The truth is if you have to change something about your upbringing in order to be accepted maybe you are not in good company. Your upbringing, no matter how awesome it was is sacred ground. The people of Nazara would not accept Jesus because of his father, some may not accept you because of whatever… hold your head high and answer the call of God. He accepts and understands every bit of you.