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Jesus left there and went to his home town, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
- Mark 6:1-6

Jesus provoked extreme reactions. If you read the gospels: there are no people who are merely warm about Jesus, no ambivalent “he’s a good guy, I guess” responses. People either oppose him, or they fall down on their knees and give their lives to him.

It wasn't always his healings, teachings, or pronouncements of forgiveness that offended people. In his hometown, it was his ordinariness that was the problem. The people of Nazareth liked the teachings and were open to healings, but not from him. He was too familiar. Isn't this the carpenter? He's just Mary's kid... We know the family!

Are you turned of by the ordinariness of Jesus? Would you like the gospel to be more esoteric than the simple offer of mercy for sinners? Do you think your brothers and sisters ought to be more intellectually, physically, or morally impressive? Do you wish that the church was more 'successful'? Would you like our experience to be more spiritually exhilarating, something other than the daily choosing to put one foot in front of the other - the long obedience in the same direction.

Really, there is nothing ordinary about Jesus. He is the extraordinary come to us in the ordinary. The theological word is incarnation - "the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us". He is the meaning of everything, come to meet us. But day to day, it may be that our following of Jesus feels different, perhaps feels less, that the walk we expected.

... Life happens ...

Then, like John the Baptist in prison, we send up the question, "are you really the one"? Is there someone or something more? Jesus had an answer to that.

And he answers us, "blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me".