Faith Beyond Borders

A magazine cartoon shows a woman leaving Sunday worship, shaking the pastor’s hand. She says, “That was a wonderful sermon! Imagine how perfect our world would be if everyone thought like us.” While the cartoon may be funny, it also reveals a common temptation: the belief that our way of thinking should be the standard for all others.

In today’s Gospel, we see this attitude on full display. At first, Jesus’ audience is captivated. Luke tells us, “He won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from His lips” (Luke 4:22). They admired Him, perhaps thinking, “Finally, a preacher who understands us!” But admiration turned to outrage when Jesus challenged their assumptions. His message—that God’s blessings were not just for them but for outsiders, even enemies—was too much to bear. Moments earlier, they were spellbound; now, they were furious. They dragged Him to the edge of a cliff, ready to throw Him off. What caused this drastic change?…