Homecoming is usually a source of great joy for a whole family. When a father or mother has travelled for work or when a son or daughter returns from boarding school or studies, it is a time for sharing stories, catching up on the news, fondness, and simply enjoying the company of one who has been away. If you are really popular, then other relatives and friends might gather as well once the
word is out that you have come home.
At home, Jesus was greeted by such a crowd that there was no time or space for people to sit down and share a meal. I can imagine in our time, a graduation party that is overflowing with visitors. Or, when Nelson Mandela was released from prison, The Grand Parade in Cape Town was spilling over with the rejoicing population. In Soweto, Soccer City needed to be bigger to hold the crowd. The spirit was
so buoyant that we believed that anything could be achieved. For a moment, the problems melted away as we concentrated on the arrival of our ‘saviour.’
However, homecomings are frequently also ambiguous occasions because the person who has been away can’t meet all the expectations, which are sometimes quite unrealistic. Also, they have changed and may have new insights and purposes. That’s why people travel: to broaden their horizons
and to learn about the world. Coming back to little old Nazareth, maybe Jesus disappointed some of his closest relatives, who then thought he had a mental disorder: How could he enjoy being surrounded by all these people, these strangers? Why is he bringing them home? Why hasn’t he taken up carpentry again? When did he begin teaching such a strange gospel? He’s disrupting the way we do things here.
Have I ever had an
uncomfortable homecoming? Or made it uncomfortable for one of my family members? What expectations did we have that weren’t being met? Have we come to understand each other?
Reflections by Peter Knox SJ
