"Get outta town!"

 

In the story of Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-15) there’s a back and forth among the characters.  A Jewish slave girl is so full of wisdom and enthusiasm while the anointed King expects the worst after hearing the expectations of a smiling Naaman who arrives at his front door.  Elijah is ready to go to work.  Then it’s Naaman whose expectations get in the way, but the poor people, servants, speak to him about trust, and fortunately Naaman listens to them.

Elijah is full of powerful miracles and intertwined with raw humanness.  In the final part of the story Naaman leaves in a bit of a bind.  He believes in the God of Israel and he takes a load of earth home with him to keep in touch with this holy place, but he’ll also have to follow the rules of his King who worships Rammon.  And then there’s Gehazi, who seeks to profit from Naaman’s healing by asking him for a kickback.  He gets a generous one, and leprosy as well!

Expectations are part of life.  We live with them, sometimes to be disappointed, other times to be surprised at how much they can be surpassed.  In Naaman’s story, some expectations were limiting and caused fear.  The poor, humble people were open to expectations that seemed beyond realization, while the powerful questioned them.  Like Mary’s Magnificat, the understanding of the arrogant is scattered and the lowly are raised up (Luke 1:46–55).

“Get outta town!”, is a phrase we sometimes might have used in the old days when we heard something that we couldn’t believe.  That’s literally what the people of Nazareth told Jesus, when He told them that He was a prophet, that He speaks the word of God.  Jesus’ hometown folk accepted Him as a Teacher, but Jesus wanted to serve His hometown by being a Prophet. However, Jesus said, “no prophet gains acceptance in his native place.”  Like the people of Nazareth, many of us also refuse to accept Jesus on His terms.  Are we telling Jesus to, “Get outta town”? (Luke 4:24-30)

We all want to have more money so things will be easier.  We want to drive a fancy car so we can have the prestige that goes along with it.  We want a big luxurious home so we can rest comfortably.  We want good health so we can enjoy all these things.  We want relationships that aren’t shaky.  We want to live life on our terms.  The straight and easy road.  No problems.  No worries.  We say, take those crosses and let someone else carry or bear them.  These are my ways.  Jesus can’t possibly want me to go through something that makes my life hard and painful.

But Jesus’ ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:7-9).  His are always good, always saving.  For us to be blessed with happiness, success, and healing, we must carry our own cross.  We must carry the burden of repenting, forgiving, sacrificing, evangelizing, serving, being persecuted and other forms of love before we have His blessings.  Jesus wants us to carry our crosses, not shed them.  Jesus wants to give us blessings in the shadow of our crosses.  Accept Him on His terms.  These are the terms of Jesus.

Soon, on the first day of the Easter season, all Catholics of the world will be given the opportunity and the challenge to renew their baptismal promises.  The heart of these promises is to accept Jesus on His terms.  Jesus’ terms are focused on the cross.  Are we willing to accept His terms, or are we going to tell Jesus to, “Get outta town”?