We are told in Matthews Gospel that “Jesus moved to Capernaum.” Some might wonder why he would leave Nazareth and go to Capernaum in Galilee to begin his ministry.

Besides fulfilling what the prophet Isaiah had said, there are some other good reasons for the move. Nazareth was an out-of-the-way hill town that few bothered to visit. But a very important reason for Jesus to start at Capernaum was they were known for their openness and courage to learn something new.

Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian, says the Galileans around Capernaum were “by nature disposed to change” and “full of courage.”

This is in contrast with his home town of Nazareth, which refused to accept any of his teachings when he returned.

When Jesus sent his disciples out two by two on a journey to preach the Gospel, he told them there would be some towns and villages that would not accept them. When this happened, they were to shake the dust off their sandals and go to the next town.

We are the next town! How open are we to the truth? A good prayer for us is to ask the Lord to give us open minds and courageous hearts!

God bless.