Will we have to have an airlift to the West?
The Highway is cut. It may take ten days to have a temporary rail line rebuilt. Even the North is cut off from Adelaide…but Brisbane can supply Darwin. And all because of rain.
“…do the same here in your own countryside.”
The bird’s route is scarcely 35 kms from Capernaum to Nazareth taking in a small deviation to pass through Cana. But our country is our country and don’t you do anything for them, let alone others.
Rage is produced by the recall of the works of Elijah and Elisha. Sidonia did not belong. Syria was not our country; both people helped were Gentiles…but we are the chosen people. Being reminded of their own history, and by a local, “This is Joseph’s son, surely?”, provoked a rage and an intention to murder. Rushing back into our minds are the words of Simeon, “This child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel”.
What a beginning for Jesus!
And all he is really on about is to bring Good News.
One of those that fell and rose was Paul. The excerpt read today will be familiar to many. Read often at weddings, reflected often on Golden and other anniversaries, it is a song for all. Surely Jesus’ heart would have been moved when Paul produced this work. A work destined for all people and coming after Paul took the message to the Gentile world.
We can get locked up into our own country, suburb, town and state too easily.
The Gospel is much, much bigger than that.
In many ways that is the message of Pope Francis, “Don’t lock up the Good News”.
It is always hard to start again.
Nonetheless we have to “slip through the crowd” and find ways of announcing the Good News to our world. Read slowly the excerpt from First Corinthians 12: 31-13: 13 and start this week by saying “hullo” to someone near you.
Mons Frank
