“Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?” // Matthew 13:55
When we’re growing up, we’re often referred to with qualifiers like these: “That’s so and so’s sister. Her dad works down the street. She’s always lived here.” And these small qualifiers follow us for some time. Even after you leave home, even after you start a new career or get married, and even after you have children. To those who knew you when you were younger, you remain the same person they knew.
In today’s Gospel reading, the people Jesus was teaching in the synagogue knew Him, or at least they thought they did (see Matthew 13:54-58). They were familiar with Him—they likely knew Him growing up, and they probably knew funny anecdotes about His family life. And rather than putting them more at ease and in a position to believe what He shared, this familiarity caused them to question and doubt Him. To some extent, because they knew Him, they didn’t believe He could be Who He said He was. They would think, How could He be? We’ve known Him all this time. He’s probably Who He has always been.
But a faithful Christian life is a transformed life, filled with conversions—once and again, where each of us becomes more of who God created us to be as we grow closer to Him. Unfortunately, though, not everyone will appreciate us trying to live a transformed life, walking closer to Christ. But Jesus knows what that’s like, and as He walks alongside you, I believe He offers you comfort and peace in the face of any rejection or experience of being misunderstood. And through being misunderstood, He invites you into a place of intimacy with Him—and a place where you can begin to better understand those around you who are also walking this path of Faith.
Dear Lord, help me to forgive those who misunderstand my desire to be like You, and transform me more and more each day to humbly walk by Your side. Amen.
Annie Deddens is a writer and producer. She runs a prayer ministry with her husband, called Pray More Novenas. She has a heart for the sick & suffering, and she writes about living with greater faith (hope & love, too) in this imperfect world as a Catholic wife on her blog, Catholic Wife, Catholic Life. Find out more about her here.
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