PREJUDICE IS A FORM OF BLINDNESS

XIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME -  Mark 6:1-6

Jesus went to Nazareth, his hometown, and, on the Sabbath day, he went to the synagogue with his disciples. The synagogue was the house of the assembly, a house of prayer and a gathering place. Like all Jews, Jesus used to take part in the Sabbath worship at the synagogue. There, they used to read from the Scriptures and then somebody would give a commentary on the texts read. There would be time for prayer and for singing, as well. This synagogal tradition passed into the Christian liturgy, constituting the first part of the Mass - the celebration of the word. Jesus’ example should help us to realise the importance of the Day of the Lord, which is as well the Day of the Community. We need to set apart a special time for God and for the community. However, nowadays, we have ignored and despised the importance of the day of worship. Shopping malls and supermarkets are open, and people do their usual daily business. There is time for everything, except for God, for the family and for one another.

As we read this Sunday’s gospel, we discover that Jesus’ visit to Nazareth was not a pacific one. Even though surprised by his speech, they rejected him, because of their prejudice against him. Indeed, Jesus was a victim of prejudice. When informed by Philip about Jesus from Nazareth, Nathanael gave voice to his suspicion, saying: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). And, in a kind of joke, the nickname of Nazarene was placed on the cross. At Nazareth, no one listened to him,  convinced as they were that they knew him: he was the carpenter and his family was well known. Prejudice leaves us blind, unable to see the goodness and truth of the other. Full of prejudice, we end up demonising the other, considering him a threat because he is different from us: from another race, another tribe, another people, another religion, another ideology or political grouping. And we reject him because he does not fit into our categories. We become incapable of recognising in the other the same humanity that is in us and we consider him incapable of contributing to the common good. We judge the other without knowing him and become unjust in our judgment. Nowadays, in the name of the so considered correct, we turn many prejudices into absolute and indisputable truths that are imposed as the only possible alternative. We must see the other, with his differences, as a challenge and not as a threat. The other is a challenge that leads us to a renewed effort of growth and solidarity.