IS HE NOT THE CARPENTER’S SON?

Gn 1.26-2.3 opp. Ps 3.14-15.17.23-24; Ps 89; Mt 13.54-58
1 MAY
Jesus gives an infallible rule so that every man of God walks in history with a wise, intelligent, just and true discernment: observing every man bare from every origin or derivation of family, lineage, nation, tribe and degree of study or nobility, of attendance or friendship. One must look at man, only man and his works. The work is the fruit of the man. It never deceives, it never leads us to wrong judgments, neither to the false good, nor to the fake good. But the work must be the fruit of the Word of God, but not modified by man, but enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

When the feast was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple area and began to teach. The Jews were amazed and said, “How does he know scripture without having studied?” Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not my own but is from the one who sent me. Whoever chooses to do his will shall know whether my teaching is from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on his own seeks his own glory, but whoever seeks the glory of the one who sent him is truthful, and there is no wrong in him. Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You are possessed! Who is trying to kill you?” Jesus answered and said to them, “I performed one work and all of you are amazed because of it. Moses gave you circumcision – not that it came from Moses but rather from the patriarchs – and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man can receive circumcision on a Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I made a whole person well on a Sabbath? Stop judging by appearances, but judge justly” (Jn 7,14-24).

A true prophet stands out from every false prophet, because he lives the whole Word of the Lord, starting with the first Commandment. Since Jesus observes all the Word of the Father, never might he be a false prophet. A true man says true words.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them (Mt 7,15-20).

The people of Nazareth should remember that their great king David was a humble shepherd of sheep. His father had not even considered him worthy to present himself before Samuel. It is not the lineage that raises, but only the Lord who creates his men.

He also had Jesse and his sons cleanse themselves and invited them to the sacrifice. As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is here before him.” But the Lord said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any one of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The Lord said, “There-anoint him, for this is he!” Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David (Cf. 1Sam 16,1-13).

It is precisely the humility of the origins of Jesus that should have opened hearts to believe in what was announced. Their faith is without memory of history, deprived of any truth.

He came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his native place and in his own house.” And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints, make us of faith full of memory.