Limiting Jesus' Power in My Life

In today’s Gospel,  Mt 13: 54-58, Jesus visits his home town and performs no miracles there because of their lack of faith. The people are astounded by Jesus’ wisdom and ask: “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers? Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t  Mary known to be his mother and James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers?  Aren’t his sisters our neighbors? Where did he get all this?”   The people are offended by Jesus. They scoff at him, reject Him, limit Him by their low expectations of Him? 

How often do we not do this to others and to ourselves!  Who? That person? No way! Or we scoff at ourselves and our abilities, thus putting limits on what others can do or we ourselves can accomplish.

Jesus wants to work miracles in our lives and in the lives of others as well. He wants to share God’s love with us every day. He wants to shows us God the Father. He wants you and me to know that He walks with us, talks with us, is present and ready to do whatever we need Him to do to draw us to the Father and to empower us to be the men and women He created us to be. He wants to heal our hurts, our dis-eases, and our illnesses; to “raise” us from that which is “dead” in us, to remove the scales from our eyes, open our ears, mend our brokenness, cast out our “demons.”

Do I really believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the One sent into the World to Save us and it?  Or am I looking for another, as were the people of his hometown?

My prayer:

Lord, I believe You are present even when I do not see You.

Lord, I believe You are shielding me from Satan even when I do not realize it.

Lord, I believe that You are preparing the way for me to find You even when I am unaware of the work You are doing in my life.

Lord, I believe You send me Wisdom and enlighten me throughout the day.

Lord, I believe You look on me with love and compassion, especially when I am feeling unlovable.

Lord, I believe You re-direct me when I have chosen a path not right for me.

Lord, You are my Messiah, the One sent from God to set me free from that which holds me back from realizing my highest potential as a human being or recognizing that potential in another person.  I believe that you are the Messiah sent to reconcile me and everyone else to the Father, to Your God and my God.