“They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of
the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.” Lk
4:30
At times, we've all been guilty of prejudging someone based on what we think we know about that person. And we are all somewhat susceptible to following popular opinion - following "the crowd." In today's Gospel, the people in Nazareth, thinking they know Jesus very well, come to some very wrong conclusions about Him. Although they are intrigued by the stories about His miracles in other places, they don't really believe He is anyone special.
When Jesus tells them that their lack of faith will preclude His working great miracles among them, they become outraged. If He could do miracles elsewhere, they want to see proof of it! How dare He refuse to perform? It doesn't take long for these "friends and neighbors" to form a mob and attempt to throw Jesus off a cliff.
Under cover of anonymity, people in mobs commit crimes that individuals would never dream of. Something similar happens online, sometimes with harmful results. One such incident occurred recently after the March for Life in DC. A teenager wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat was filmed, grinning, as a Native American man beat a drum inches from his face. Other teenage boys whooped and jumped in the background. The video "went viral" and these boys were swiftly condemned by a virtual online mob for mocking the Native American.
More videos emerged, revealing that the boys were innocent. These boys, attending the March with their Catholic school, had been harassed by adults as they waited for their bus and they responded peacefully, with a school cheer and a nervous smile. They were ultimately exonerated, but not before they received serious threats to their lives. Because people judged them based on appearances and what they wore, these teenagers were condemned without evidence and, like Jesus, were very nearly tossed off a cliff by an angry mob.
Before this nation becomes any more polarized by hatred and division, the time has come for Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, to stand arm and arm with all who are persecuted unjustly. Only in unity and solidarity can we truly make our nation great again.
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