Nothing is Impossible

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 31, 2016

Luke 4:21-30

“Isn't this the son of Joseph? (Luk 4:22)”

‘Impossible’ is not part of Jesus’ vocabulary. He multiplied the bread and filled the hungry multitude. He walked on water and calmed the storm. He healed the woman with hemorrhage, opened the eyes of Bartimaeus, and expelled the demons. He forgave the adulterous woman and challenged the legalism of the authorities. He raised Lazarus and Himself resurrected. Not even death can limit Him.

Yet, ‘impossible’ and ‘limitation’ seemed to be the mindset of the people of Nazareth. When they saw Jesus came home and proclaimed the Word of God with authority, the Nazarene amazement was short-lived and they turned the tide against Jesus. One might say, ‘That’s impossible! He is Jesus, the son of the poor carpenter Joseph. He is lowly, ordinary, and incapable. Who does he think himself? God?’ Grace was just around the corner, but they closed their hearts, limited their possibilities, and hampered their own growth. Not only they boxed themselves in narrow-mindedness, they also tried to impose their limitations on Jesus. When Jesus refused to be placed under their closed-mindedness, they attempted to get rid of Jesus. Thus, nothing much happened in Nazareth. 

Jesus further explained that this refusal to God’s grace had been a perennial problems of Israel. The great prophets Elijah and Elisha could have done mighty deeds for Israel, but they did not because they were rejected by their own people. Now, this mentality of putting limits to oneself does not solely belong to the Israelites. Unconsciously, this attitude may creep into our lives. We may listen to the Word of God every Sunday in the Eucharist, but do we allow the very Word to be fulfilled in our lives? Is Sunday Worship all about feeling-good experience, and yet going home, we act as if nothing happens to us? We are celebrating the Jubilee Year of Mercy, but does it help us being more merciful and compassionate? Sometimes we are like ‘Shoe’, the main character in old comic strip Shoe by Jeff MacNelly. When Shoe is pitching in a baseball game, in the conference in the mound, his catcher says, “You’ve got to have faith in your curve ball.” “It’s easy for him to say,” grumbles Shoe. “When it comes to believing in myself, I am an agnostic.”

A friend of mine did the incredible in her young age. She finished her doctorate at the age of 27 in Japan. What makes her more incredible is she turned down lucrative offers of big companies and volunteered as elementary school teacher in a far-flung area. She is currently serving the people of Nunukan, North Borneo Province, at the border of civilization. Once she texted me and told how difficult it was to teach, especially when people do not really appreciate yet the importance of education. I was speechless, having no word of consolation, but she immediately replied, ‘It is difficult to love.” Her answer made me smile since I know that despite her troublesome situations, she never stops loving. In the Annunciation, archangel Gabriel said to Mary, “For God, there is nothing impossible.” We shall not put limit to God’s grace, to our own growth in faith and to our ability to love. When we believe and open our hearts to God’s grace, the ‘impossible’ things begin to happen in our lives.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno,OP