Message: Homecoming / Mark 6:1-13

The Gospel reading today is about Jesus' homecoming. It starts with: "He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him" (6:1). Since beginning his public ministry, Jesus had been very busy around the Sea of Galilee. As people experienced God's love and care through him, he became more famous, and many came to him for his teachings and healing. But as he grew tired from his ministry, he turned towards his hometown.

What was Jesus thinking as he returned home? The Bible doesn't tell us specifically, but we can imagine his feelings through a poem called "Heimkunft (Homecoming)” by the German poet Friedrich Hölderlin (1770-1843). The poem begins like this:

“It is still bright night in the Alps, and a cloud,

  Authoring joyfulness, covers the yawning valley.

Playful mountain breezes rush and toss about, and a ray

  Of light shines abruptly through the firs and disappears.”

The way home would never have felt dark, even at night. As Jesus got closer to Nazareth, he felt excited, relaxed, and delighted by the familiar scenery. The wind blowing through the mountains, valleys, and trees reminded him of his playful childhood. The journey home to his family, relatives, and friends was a three-day trip from the Sea of Galilee, but it never overwhelmed him. 

And the fifth stanza of Hölderlin's poem is as follows:

“Dear friends are there to welcome me.

  O voice of the city, voice of my mother!

You touch and awaken what I learned long ago.

  But it's really them: sun and joy shine for you,

My dear ones, almost brighter than ever in your eyes.

  Yes, it's still the same. It thrives and ripens,

For nothing that lives and loves relinquishes loyalty.

  Best of all, this treasure, which rests under the arch

Of holy peace, is reserved for young and old alike.

  I speak foolishly. It's pure joy. But tomorrow

And after, when we go out and view the living fields,

  When the trees are blossoming on Spring holidays,

I'll speak and share my hopes with you, dear friends.

  I've heard much about our great Father, but I've said

Nothing. He renews passing time above in the heights,

  And he reigns over mountains.  He'll soon bestow heavenly

Gifts and call for brighter song and send many good spirits.”

When Jesus arrived home, he was looking forward to the Sabbath. He could hardly wait to share the Good News with his people in the synagogue. He was eager to tell them, who had been suffering under political and religious oppression, that God had never abandoned them and that the kingdom of God was growing in their land, just like a mustard seed grows into a big tree.

But the reaction of those who heard Jesus' teaching in the synagogue was not what he expected. At first, they were amazed at his wisdom and power, but gradually, they became hostile toward him, saying “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” (6:3) 

Why couldn't the people of Nazareth accept Jesus' teachings? Why did they take offence at him? In response, Jesus said, “Prophets are not without honour, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” (6:4) Prophets were the ones who deeply connected with God: They felt pain where God felt pain, they were angry where God was angry, and they dreamed dreams where God dreamed. They were fearless people who exposed injustice and proclaimed a message of transformation for a new world.

That's why Jesus made the people of his hometown uncomfortable. His teachings had the potential to stir up political trouble in their town. The gospel of God brings good news to the oppressed but is bad news for oppressors. God's voice brings liberation to those on the margins but judgment to those who misuse power for injustice. The Kingdom of God is a heavenly place for those who live out God's love, but a place of punishment for those who try to act like God themselves. 

In particular, when Jesus proclaimed God's victory, not the Roman emperor's, the people of Nazareth recalled a tragic event from decades ago near their town. Around the time Jesus was born, Judah, the son of Hezekiah, led a rebellion against the Roman Empire in Sepphoris, a town about six kilometres from Nazareth. This revolt happened shortly after the death of Herod the Great, and it was swiftly crushed by Varus, the Roman governor of Syria, who sent his legions to sack Sepphoris, burn the city to the ground, and enslave its inhabitants. As a result, around 2,000 people were crucified.

Most Nazarenes remembered the event; some would have been involved in making the countless crosses. The destruction of their neighbouring town instilled fear in their hearts, depriving them of the freedom to dream. In this situation, Jesus triggered their inner anxiety to explode into hostility. Given the circumstances of the time when one person's rebellion resulted in punishment for their entire family and associated groups, Jesus' message of God’s Kingdom was seen as a looming disaster to them. Because of this, the people in the synagogue tried to undermine Jesus' authority by mentioning his profession as a carpenter and his family ties.

But what's important about this text is Jesus' response. Generally, people strongly desire recognition from those closest to them. They seek affirmation of their worth from family, relatives, friends, and neighbours. This was particularly true in ancient times when honour held great importance.

Around 200 B.C., the ancient Chinese general Xiang Yu declared his intention to return to his hometown after conquering the Qin dynasty, the most powerful state at the time. His loyal subordinate advised him that if he could capture just one more province, he could unify the entire country. Then Xiang Yu said, "If you succeed and don't return to your hometown, how is it different from walking at night wearing a silk robe? When you wear a silk robe (a symbol of success), it's only right that you return to your hometown." This shows that, in the ancient world, success meant nothing if it was not honoured and recognized by those close to you. This was no different in ancient Israel, which had a strong honour-shame culture.

However, Jesus was not discouraged by the hostile attitude of the people in his hometown. Instead, he became more active in spreading the gospel. Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs to other villages. The message they proclaimed was "repentance." In the Bible, repentance (metanoia) means "turning back to God."

Even though Jesus' homecoming brought shame and humiliation upon him, he never faltered because he had already experienced a true homecoming. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), a Spanish nun and spiritual teacher, said that true homecoming occurs when we find God within ourselves, and ourselves within God. She stressed that home is in God's embrace, where we discover our true selves, as God’s beloved children.

When we repent and turn to God after being lost and wandering in our false selves, we discover that every place in this world can become our home, not just where we were born and raised. If we dwell in God and God dwells in us, then wherever we go is home. Experiencing true homecoming, we can find God's footprints everywhere, we can see God's image in everyone, and we can guide those who go astray back to God's embrace. Then, we are no longer strangers in this universe that God created.

Some people cannot return home, even if they want to: some have lost their land to national projects that flooded it, some are prevented by war, and some cannot afford to go back. Others feel lonely and empty even while living in their hometowns: some feel like strangers in their own towns as neighborhoods change and new buildings rise. As Richard Rohr (1943-) points out, there are also those who have lost their way to the true home and suffer from homesickness: loneliness, isolation, longing, sadness, restlessness, or depression (Falling Upward. p121). 

God calls us to be there for these people. We are not hopeless wanderers who are hostile toward Christ out of fear of a new world. We are Christ's disciples who courageously spread God’s hope wherever we go. God sends us into the world to show them what true home is and what a real homecoming means.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Rev. Min Hwang

South Stormont Pastoral Charge

Ingleside-Newington United Church & St. Andrew's-St. Mark's United Church