Jesus’ hometown people would have known him and watched him grow. They had

a shared experience of agricultural living under foreign rule so when Jesus

makes the announcement of Kingdom, his genté (people) would’ve expected

nothing less than special favors and treatment from the local teacher.

We’re not immune from this. We may often face temptation to fit Jesus into

our designs and cubes as well as make special demands from him. In doing

so, we miss the exciting and redemptive truth that it’s not us who fit God

into our designs, He’s the one who fits us into his unfolding story or

renewal. The new community of Jesus, His new genté, are those who are open

to the presence and activity of the Spirit. This is who we are. So let us

surrender to the Spirit and the renewal that he wants to bring both in our

lives and the world around us.

By Raul Sandoval