14th Sunday, YR B, 7 July, 2024: Ezekiel 2:2-5; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6
We recognize prejudice as a limiting reaction to what or whom is different from our norms. In today’s Gospel we meet another form of prejudice: opposing someone who is too similar to ourselves.
In either form aren’t I being defensive, rather than receptive to something or someone that I fear might diminish me? Doesn’t protecting my fragile sense of self inhibit me from enjoying the unimagined horizons that difference could offer? Or the deeper intimacy to which familiarity would invite me? But wouldn’t either benefit remain beyond my control and comfortable status quo?
And so, these neighbors or Jesus ignore, even refuse, what he has to offer, as well as failing to recognize who he is. In Mark’s Gospel, the demonic spirits, who are already as diminished as possible and have nothing more to lose, not only recognize but proclaim Jesus’ identity, again and again.
Let’s consider fear itself. For one, fear and the lack of trust seem so pervasive today; and then, the New Testament, in fact the entire Bible, is punctuated by the admonition, “Fear not.”
The scriptural admonition acknowledges that we do fear, that it is even prudent to fear. My well-being depends on realizing what is dangerous, so I must confront my fears and know them. But that is an entirely different matter than being ruled by fear.
To put it metaphorically, when fear arrives at my doorstep, I’d be wise to open the door and engage that fear, size it up, give it a name. But then I should remind fear that it’s time to go and keep other appointments. I should never invite fear in for a meal and feed it. I must never offer fear the guest room: any overnight stay would turn the entire household over to fear.
If I fail to engage fear, I won’t recognize it as such when it sneaks in the back door. I must confront and name my fears, but then send them on their way.
When I don’t, like Jesus’ neighbors, how many times have I missed the Lord active in my life, because he came to me in situations or people who rattled my comfort zone?