Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Saint Alphonsus was a prolific writer, especially in the areas of moral theology and Mariology. Despite his intellectual accomplishments, perhaps his greatest achievement was demonstrating the dignity of living a Christian life despite all the difficulties, pain, and challenges that life can present. Through all life handed him, he was able to maintain an intimate sense of Christ’s presence.

Gospel - Matthew 13:54-58

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.

They were astonished and said,

"Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?

Is he not the carpenter's son?

Is not his mother named Mary

and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

Are not his sisters all with us?

Where did this man get all this?"

And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them,

"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place

and in his own house."

And he did not work many mighty deeds there

because of their lack of faith.

Scriptural Analysis

Jesus has left Capernaum and returned to his hometown of Nazareth. This is the first time he has returned since the arrest of John the Baptist. As was his custom, he began to teach the people in the synagogue. The people are astonished. Although such a reaction to his teaching has occurred before, this time the reaction is based upon suspicion and anger. The people are astonished because they are offended by Jesus. The people of Nazareth know Jesus. They know his family listing his relatives, “Is not his mother named Mary

and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?” They cannot believe that he is now a great prophet. How is it possible that he is filled with great wisdom and able to perform mighty deeds?

Jesus performed some miracles in Nazareth, but because the people lacked faith, he refused to perform miracles to convince his opponents of his identity. Unbelief is the word used to describe their lack of faith. Matthew typically only uses this word to describe those who oppose Jesus and reject him. There is a difference between struggling with faith (of little faith in Matthew 6:30) and unbelief, which describes unbelievers who reject Jesus.

Daily Application

Imagine that a boy whom you have known for his entire life suddenly claims to be the messiah. He starts preaching with an authority unlike anything you have heard before, and he performs miracles the likes of which have never been seen before. What would your reaction be? Would you instantly recognize him as the messiah and place your faith in him? Or would you look on him with disdain, asking yourself who this boy thinks he is? I am sure we would all like to say that we would have faith, but in reality, I would venture to say that for most of us, it would be challenging to believe.

This is because of our own biases and prejudices. It is because of the mental models we have all created: our paradigms. Sometimes these cause us to be unable to discern what is going on: the truth that is right in front of us. We expect God to act in a certain way, answering our prayers in a specific manner. When his way is different, we can fail to recognize him or become closed off to him. A key component of the spiritual life is to rid ourselves of expectations of how our life will go and how God will act, and instead discern God’s will for our life and recognize how he did act. Saint Alphonsus was able to maintain that awareness of Christ’s presence throughout his life. In his final years, Saint Alphonsus suffered greatly, yet he never lost this awareness of the presence of Christ.

As we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, let us ask this great Doctor of the Church to help us break free from any preconceived notions of how God should work and act in our lives. Instead, let us ask for the clarity to recognize the ways he has been present to us. Then let us ask for the peace to accept God’s will in our lives, knowing his will for us is far greater than anything we can develop for ourselves and that if we follow his perfect will, it will lead us to spend eternity in heaven with him.