I asked Nancy for a word to write about. “Sleep,” she said. And laughed.

When I looked at her a few minutes later, she was as good as her word. Asleep on the sofa after a long day and a good meal brought to us by thoughtful friends.

Which gives me a good story, but not a post. I want to reflection on why Luke has so much detail about a time that Jesus was attacked in his hometown. I want to consider that Luke may have talked with Mary and James, people who would have been in Nazareth when Jesus came back to visit.

He came to the town, he went to synagogue, as was his custom. He read and taught and stirred up some controversy. The people he grew up with, the people who knew his family, the people who had his furniture in their houses could not believe that Jesus did miracles. Or could not believe that he wouldn’t do miracles for them.

I’m curious about whether Mary and James and the rest of the siblings were still living in Nazareth themselves. If they were, it would give an interesting light on the response.

I want to reflect on that but I won’t be ready until the weekend.

By then I will read more and reflect more. The temperature will be warmer. Several other projects will be processed. I will have gone to work when everyone around is staying home (because hospitals don’t close for cold). And I will have slept, too.

May you know the peace of God until we meet again.