Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 69
Lectionary: 69
Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak till midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
— for he was standing higher up than any of the people —;
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
“Amen, amen!”
Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
“Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep”—
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!”
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak till midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
— for he was standing higher up than any of the people —;
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
“Amen, amen!”
Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
“Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep”—
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!”
Responsorial
PsalmPS 19:8, 9, 10, 15
R. (cf John 6:63c) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Reading 2 1 COR 12:12-30
Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
If a foot should say,
“Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,”
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
Or if an ear should say,
“Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,”
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?
If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
But as it is, God placed the parts,
each one of them, in the body as he intended.
If they were all one part, where would the body be?
But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,”
nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.”
Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are all the more necessary,
and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable
we surround with greater honor,
and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,
whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.
But God has so constructed the body
as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,
so that there may be no division in the body,
but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it;
if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the church
to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;
then, mighty deeds;
then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,
and varieties of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
If a foot should say,
“Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,”
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
Or if an ear should say,
“Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,”
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?
If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
But as it is, God placed the parts,
each one of them, in the body as he intended.
If they were all one part, where would the body be?
But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,”
nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.”
Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are all the more necessary,
and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable
we surround with greater honor,
and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,
whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.
But God has so constructed the body
as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,
so that there may be no division in the body,
but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it;
if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the church
to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;
then, mighty deeds;
then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,
and varieties of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
You are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
You are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
AlleluiaCF. LK 4:18
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 1:1-4; 4:14-21
Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
January 24,
2016
3rd Sunday
in Ordinary Time – Cycle C
Note: Where a
Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended
that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading
- Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10
The book of Nehemiah
is one of the historical books of the Bible and continues to chronicle the
history of the Jewish people. The books of Kings and Chronicles leave Jerusalem
and the temple a heap of ruins, and the people of Judah exiles and captives in
Babylon (587 B.C.). But, the exiles never forgot Zion and the glories of
Solomon’s temple. In 539 B.C. (48 years later) Cyrus II, King of Persia,
conquered Babylon. Flavius Josephus, the 1st century A.D.
historian, recounts how the Jews showed Cyrus the text of the prophecy of
Isaiah where Cyrus’ name appears (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1):
“This was known to
Cyrus by his reading the book which Isaiah left behind him of his prophesies;
for this prophet said that God has spoken thus to him in a secret vision: – ‘My
will is, that Cyrus, whom I have appointed to be king over many and great
nations, send back my people to their own land, and build my temple.’ This was
foretold by Isaiah one hundred and forty years before the temple was
demolished. Accordingly, when Cyrus read this, and admired the divine power, an
earnest desire and ambition seized upon him to fulfill what was to written; so
he called for the most eminent Jews that were in Babylon, and said to them,
that he gave them leave to go back to their own country, and to rebuild their
city Jerusalem, and the temple of God, for that he would be their assistant,
and that he would write the rulers and governors that were in the neighborhood
of their country of Judea, that they should contribute to them gold and silver
for the building of the temple, and, beside that, beasts for their sacrifices.”
[Antiquities of the Jews 11,1,2(5-7)]
Cyrus was so impressed
that in 538 B.C. he issued an edict permitting those who wished to do so to
return to Jerusalem.
Although the Jews
returned immediately after the king’s decree and started rebuilding the Temple,
the building works were soon stopped due to fierce opposition from the
Samaritans. What particularly rankled the Samaritans was that they were not
allowed to join in the rebuilding. The work was not restarted until 520 B.C.,
under Darius I, and it was completed four years later thanks to the
intervention of Zerubbabel and the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah.
However, although the temple was finished, 40 years passed without the walls of
Jerusalem being rebuilt – again due to Samaritan opposition.
Nehemiah presided from
445 until 433 B.C. over the restoration of the community and the rebuilding of
the walls of Jerusalem. As Ezra was responsible for the religious regeneration
and reform of the community after the exile, so Nehemiah was for organizing its
security and establishing a sound administration; despite continuing opposition
from the inhabitants of the surrounding towns.
Our canonical books of
Ezra and Nehemiah are combined by the Septuagint into a single book which has
the title Esdras B. Preceding it is Esdras A (the apocryphal 1 Esdras in modern
translations).
Today’s reading tells
of Ezra’s reading of the Torah (the Law of Moses) to the people.
2 [ ]Ezra the priest brought the law before the
assembly,
The law is the Torah,
the first five books of the Bible. It contains the early history of the Jewish
people and the blessings and curses associated with their covenant with God.
which consisted of
men, women, and those children old enough to understand. 3 Standing
at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate, he read out of the
book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and
those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened
attentively to the book of the law. 4a Ezra the scribe
stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. 5 Ezra
opened the scroll so that all the people might see it (for he was standing
higher up than any of the people); and, as he opened it, all the people rose. 6 Ezra
blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high,
answered, “Amen, amen!”
Truly, truly; I
believe; I truly believe. A solemn affirmation of what they hear. It is a
covenant oath.
Then they bowed
down and prostrated themselves before the LORD, their faces to the ground. 8 Ezra
read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could
understand what was read. 9 Then (Nehemiah, that is, His
Excellency, and) Ezra the priest-scribe (and the Levites who were instructing
the people) said to all the people: “Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not
be sad, and do not weep” - for all the people were weeping as they heard the
words of the law.
They are weeping
because they know how impossible it is to keep all the commands of the Law and
how horrible are the curses for disobeying the covenant.
10 He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink
sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today
is holy to our LORD.
Share in a common
meal. This appears to be a rite of renewal of the covenant. Covenants are sworn
by sharing a common meal between the parties to the covenant.
Do not be saddened
this day, for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!” Following the covenant reaps blessings.
2nd Reading
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30
Last week we heard of
the gifts of the Holy Spirit and that since they all have the same origin and
are made to operate by the giver, no one recipient is more important than
another because all is given for the common good. Today we continue this lesson
as Paul compares the Christian community to the human body.
12 As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the
parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.
The Church is the body
of Christ.
“Paul is pointing out
that just as the body has many members, some of which are more important than
others, so it is with the Church also. But every member is necessary and
useful.” [Saint Theodoret of Cyr (ca. A.D. 453), Commentary on the
First Epistle to the Corinthians 246]
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one
body,
Baptism incorporates
the individual into the risen, glorified body of Christ. It places an indelible
mark on the soul just as circumcision made a visible mark under the Old
Covenant (Colossians 2:11-12).
whether Jews or
Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one
Spirit.
Baptism gives an
infusion of the Holy Spirit.
“There is one work
because there is one mystery, there is one baptism because there was one death
for the world. There is a unity of outlook which cannot be separated.” [Saint
Ambrose of Milan (A.D. 381). The Holy Spirit 1,3,45]
14 Now the body is not a single part, but many.
This is the key phrase
to this whole reading – Just as the human body needs different members (verses
14-20), so the Church needs a diversity of spiritual gifts, and each one makes
a specific contribution to the common good; the health of the body.
15 If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not
belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. 16 Or
if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it
does not for this reason belong any less to the body. 17 If
the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were
hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it
is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. 19 If
they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 But as
it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
“If everyone in the
Church were equal, there would be no body, because a body is governed according
to the difference in the functions of its members. The diversity in the members
of the body unites for the purpose of ensuring that the body fulfills its
potential.” [The Ambrosiaster (between A.D. 366-384), Commentaries on
Thirteen Pauline Epistles]
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor
again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.”
The perspective has
changed slightly – the point is that the members need each other.
22 Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are
all the more necessary, 23 and those parts of the body
that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less
presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, 24 whereas
our more presentable parts do not need this.
In terms of clothing,
the genitals receive more attention than the ear or nose. The instinct of
modesty reveals the divine plan to ensure that the eyes (for example) should
not command all consideration.
But God has so
constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, 25 so
that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same
concern for one another. 26 If (one) part suffers, all the
parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. 27 Now
you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
Paul applies verse 14
(“the body is not one member, it is many”) to the spiritual gifts.
28 Some people God has designated in the church to be,
first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then,
gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. 29 Are
all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? 30 Do
all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
The first three
recipients of the gifts are set off from the others by being numbered and
personalized. A hierarchy is shown because the Church is, by divine will, a
hierarchical institution. These three constitute the fundamental threefold
ministry of the word by which the Church is founded and built up:
• Apostles
- Bishops to oversee
• Prophets
- To monitor the covenant. Prophecy is defined by its effect on the community.
• Teachers
- Revelation in the sense of a new insight into the mystery of salvation is
actualized in pastoral guidance and instruction.
Hierarchy means holy
government and sacred order. It is not a human order – Our Lord established in
the Church an order which should not degenerate into tyranny but the authority
is a call to serve all members of the body for the common good (see also Romans
12:5-6).
“Paul has placed the
apostles at the head of the church. They may be identified with bishops, as
Peter said of Judas: ‘Let another take his bishopric’ (Acts 1:20, RSV). There
are two types of prophets, those who predict the future and those who interpret
the Scriptures. The apostles are also prophets, because the top rank has all
the others subordinated to it. Even a wicked man like Caiaphas uttered
prophecies on the strength of his rank, not for any virtues he might have possessed
(John 11:49-51). Teachers are those who instructed boys in the synagogue, a
practice which has come down to us as well.” [The Ambrosiaster (between A.D.
366-384), Commentaries on Thirteen Pauline Epistles]
Gospel - Luke
1:1-4, 4:14-21
Luke was a Syrian from
Antioch. He was a physician by profession, a man of culture with perfect Greek.
He was not an Apostle but was an early Gentile convert (about A.D. 40) and a
disciple of Paul. He accompanied St. Paul on his second journey (A.D. 49-53)
from Troas to Philippi, remaining there for some years, until he again joined
Paul toward the end of his third journey (53-58). He stayed with Paul when he
was imprisoned in Caesarea; he was with him on his adventurous trip from
Caesarea to Rome and during his first Roman captivity.
St. Luke was not an
eyewitness to our Lord’s life. Therefore, when he refers in his introduction to
the sources he has used, he includes “the original eye-witnesses and ministers
of the word”, among the most outstanding of whom was the Blessed Mother. It must
have been she who provided most of the information Luke gives in the first
chapters of his Gospel.
Luke is the only
Gospel writer to give his book a preface or prologue (1:1-4). This prologue is
really a summary of what the Gospel contains and helps us to realize that
Jesus’ message of salvation, the Gospel, was preached before it came to be
written down.
1:1 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative
of the events that have been fulfilled among us,
Luke’s purpose is not
merely to record history, he narrates events that are interpreted as having
been brought to fulfillment by God for human salvation.
2 just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
Seeing isn’t
sufficient for Saint Luke, these sources have not only seen, they have acted
upon their faith and now proclaim the Word.
3 I too have decided, after investigating everything
accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most
excellent Theophilus,
The name Theophilus
means “beloved of God”. Who this person is in unknown. Luke wrote this gospel
and Acts to him – the only times he is mentioned in the Bible (Luke 1:3; Acts
1:1). Theophilus could be a generic “all Christians”.
4 so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.
Confirm the oral
teaching.
4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee
This is the beginning
of Jesus’ public ministry. Just prior to this He was baptized (Luke 3:21-22)
and was tempted in the desert (Luke 4:1-13).
in the power of the
Spirit,
The Holy Spirit
descended on Him at His baptism (Luke 3:22) and He was full of and led by the
Holy Spirit when He went into the desert (Luke 4:1). His encounter with the
devil has not diminished the power of the Holy Spirit.
and news of him
spread throughout the whole region. 15 He taught
Jesus was a teacher.
He had the authority to address people about God and God’s plan.
in their
synagogues
He was teaching openly
in the Jewish place of worship and instruction. Jesus stands in continuity with
God’s promises of old.
and was praised by
all. 16 He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
Jesus starts His
public ministry where His hearers think that they know Him and His origins.
and went according
to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
It seems that the
Sabbath synagogue service in the first century consisted of the singing of a
psalm, the recitation of the Shema and the 18 benedictions, a
reading from the Torah, a reading from the Prophets, a sermon on the meaning of
the readings, a blessing by the president, and the priestly blessing of Numbers
6:24-27.
He stood up to read 17 and
was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the
passage where it was written:
Here we are dealing
with Luke’s theology of promise and fulfillment. The passage was Isaiah
61:1-2. This is where the prophet announces the coming of a messiah who will
free the people from all their afflictions.
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has
anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim
liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go
free,
The blessings God will
send the people through the Messiah. “The poor” refers not so much to a social
condition as to a very religious attitude of indigence and humility toward God;
those who instead of relying on their possessions and merits, trust in God’s
goodness and mercy. Likewise, “release” is seen to be a spiritual sense -
freedom from the blindness and oppression of sin. This passage is also in line
with Jesus’ special concern for those most in need.
“Similarly, the Church
encompasses with all her love all those who are afflicted by human misery and
she recognizes in those who are poor and who suffer the image of her poor and
suffering Founder. She does all in her power to receive their need and in them
she strives to serve Christ” (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 8)
19 and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”
Leviticus 25:10.
Symbolizes the era of redemption and liberation which the Messiah would usher
in.
20 Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant
and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 21 He
said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
The fulfillment of the
promise is Luke’s theme. The waiting is over, the Messiah has arrived.
Meditation: "Jesus returned in
the power of the Spirit"
What does the Gospel
of Luke tell us about Jesus and his mission and what he came to do for us? Many
skeptics question the reliability and accuracy of the Gospel accounts of Jesus.
Luke tells us that his account is utterly believable because it comes from
firsthand witnesses (Luke 1:2) who knew Jesus personally, heard him teach, saw
his miracles, and witnessed his atoning death on the cross and his rising from
the tomb to everlasting life.
Luke begins his account by addressing his friend, Theophilus, a name which means "beloved of God" (Luke 1:3). In so many words Luke tells his friend (and us as well), I am writing to you the most incredible story humankind has known - and which many witnesses and messengers of God's word have openly explained on many occasions. Luke wants his friend and all who read his account to "know the truth" (Luke 1:4) concerning Jesus of Nazareth who was sent from the Father in heaven and anointed by the Holy Spirit to bring us the good news and power of God's kingdom.
The "good news"of Jesus brings new life and freedom
The word "gospel" literally means "good news." The Gospel is the Good News of Jesus Christ and the new life and freedom he has won for us through his atoning death on the cross for our sins and his resurrection to everlasting life and glory with the Father in heaven. The Gospel is the all-powerful and all-merciful word of God for us today as much as it was for the people who first heard it in Jesus' time. It's a life-giving word that has supernatural power to change, transform, and bring freedom and healing to those who accept it as the living word of God. Are you hungry for God's word of truth and mercy, love and forgiveness? And do you want to grow in the knowledge of God and what he has accomplished for us through his Son, Jesus Christ?
Jesus came in the power of the Spirit
Luke tells us that Jesus was about 30 years of age when he began his public ministry (Luke 3:23). Right after Jesus was baptized by John and anointed by the Spirit at the River Jordan (Luke 3:21-22), he spent 40 days in the wilderness to devote himself to prayer and fasting (Luke 4:1-13). At the end of this period of spiritual preparation and testing, Luke tells us that Jesus "returned in the power of the Spirit to his own land of Galilee" (Luke 4:14). Jesus chose to begin his public ministry in Galilee first, rather than in Jerusalem, the holy city and temple of God. This was in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1,2.
Luke tells us that Jesus chose to publicly announce his mission in the synagogue at Nazareth. The people there were familiar with Jesus since it was his custom to regularly attended the weekly Sabbath service. Jesus was also known by many in Nazareth as a "carpenter" (Mark 6:3) and "son of Joseph" (Luke 4:21). When the president of the synagogue called on Jesus to read from the book of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus chose to read Isaiah's description (verses 1-2 of chapter 61) of what the Messiah would do when he came to restore God's kingdom for the people of Israel.
Luke begins his account by addressing his friend, Theophilus, a name which means "beloved of God" (Luke 1:3). In so many words Luke tells his friend (and us as well), I am writing to you the most incredible story humankind has known - and which many witnesses and messengers of God's word have openly explained on many occasions. Luke wants his friend and all who read his account to "know the truth" (Luke 1:4) concerning Jesus of Nazareth who was sent from the Father in heaven and anointed by the Holy Spirit to bring us the good news and power of God's kingdom.
The "good news"of Jesus brings new life and freedom
The word "gospel" literally means "good news." The Gospel is the Good News of Jesus Christ and the new life and freedom he has won for us through his atoning death on the cross for our sins and his resurrection to everlasting life and glory with the Father in heaven. The Gospel is the all-powerful and all-merciful word of God for us today as much as it was for the people who first heard it in Jesus' time. It's a life-giving word that has supernatural power to change, transform, and bring freedom and healing to those who accept it as the living word of God. Are you hungry for God's word of truth and mercy, love and forgiveness? And do you want to grow in the knowledge of God and what he has accomplished for us through his Son, Jesus Christ?
Jesus came in the power of the Spirit
Luke tells us that Jesus was about 30 years of age when he began his public ministry (Luke 3:23). Right after Jesus was baptized by John and anointed by the Spirit at the River Jordan (Luke 3:21-22), he spent 40 days in the wilderness to devote himself to prayer and fasting (Luke 4:1-13). At the end of this period of spiritual preparation and testing, Luke tells us that Jesus "returned in the power of the Spirit to his own land of Galilee" (Luke 4:14). Jesus chose to begin his public ministry in Galilee first, rather than in Jerusalem, the holy city and temple of God. This was in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1,2.
Luke tells us that Jesus chose to publicly announce his mission in the synagogue at Nazareth. The people there were familiar with Jesus since it was his custom to regularly attended the weekly Sabbath service. Jesus was also known by many in Nazareth as a "carpenter" (Mark 6:3) and "son of Joseph" (Luke 4:21). When the president of the synagogue called on Jesus to read from the book of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus chose to read Isaiah's description (verses 1-2 of chapter 61) of what the Messiah would do when he came to restore God's kingdom for the people of Israel.
"The Spirit of
the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the
poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of
sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord" (Isaiah 61:1-2).
Isaiah had prophesied
that the Messiah would be sent by God and anointed in the power of the Holy
Spirit to preach "good news" and bring healing, blessing, and freedom
to all who were oppressed (see Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus awakened their hope in
God's promises when he announced that this word was now being fulfilled in his
very own person. Luke tells us that the people of Nazareth spoke well of him
and received his "gracious word" with amazement and wonder. But they
also openly questioned how the "son of Joseph" would fulfill this
Messianic mission (Luke 4:21). Jesus challenged them to believe the word God
had spoken through the prophets and the word he now speaks in God's name
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus renews and
strengthens us in faith, hope, and love
The Lord Jesus speaks this same word to each of us today - he comes to bring us healing and restoration, pardon and freedom from the oppression of sin, despair, hopelessness, and destruction. Do you believe his word with expectant faith and trust, or with doubt and indifference? The Lord will not refuse to pour out his Spirit on all who trust in him. Ask the Lord Jesus to renew in you the joy of the Gospel and the freedom to live each day with trusting faith, joyful hope, and fervent love.
The Lord Jesus speaks this same word to each of us today - he comes to bring us healing and restoration, pardon and freedom from the oppression of sin, despair, hopelessness, and destruction. Do you believe his word with expectant faith and trust, or with doubt and indifference? The Lord will not refuse to pour out his Spirit on all who trust in him. Ask the Lord Jesus to renew in you the joy of the Gospel and the freedom to live each day with trusting faith, joyful hope, and fervent love.
"Lord Jesus, you
are the fulfillment of all our hopes and dreams. Through the gift of your Holy
Spirit you bring us truth, freedom, and abundant life. Fill me with the joy of
the Gospel and inflame my heart with a burning love for you and a deep thirst
for your word."
Daily Quote from
the early church fathers: Jesus
fulfills the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 61, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444
AD)
"Now it was
necessary that he should manifest himself to the Israelites and that the
mystery of his incarnation should now shine forth to those who did not know
him. Now that God the Father had anointed him to save the world, he very wisely
orders this also [that his fame should now spread widely]. This favor he grants
first to the people of Nazareth, because, humanly speaking, he had grown up
among them. Having entered the synagogue, therefore, he takes the book to read.
Having opened it, he selects a passage in the Prophets which declares the
mystery concerning him. By these words he himself tells us very clearly by the
voice of the prophet that he would both be made man and come to save the world.
For we affirm that the Son was anointed in no other way than by having become
like us according to the flesh and taking our nature. Being at once God and
man, he both gives the Spirit to the creation in his divine nature and receives
it from God the Father in his human nature. It is he who sanctifies the whole
creation, both by shining forth from the Holy Father and by bestowing the
Spirit. He himself pours forth his own Spirit on the powers above and on those
who recognized his appearing." (excerpt fromCOMMENTARY ON LUKE,
HOMILY 12)
THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, LUKE 1:1-4, 4:14-21
(Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-30)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, LUKE 1:1-4, 4:14-21
(Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-30)
KEY VERSE: "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing" (v.21).
TO KNOW: Luke was a Gentile convert to Christianity who wrote his Gospel for other Gentile Christians. Luke began the account of Jesus' public ministry with his proclamation in the synagogue in Nazareth. As Jesus' fame spread throughout the land, he was often called upon to read and comment on the scriptures. The readings of the entire Pentateuch were covered in a three year cycle, much like our Christian lectionary today. Any well instructed male member of the assembly could be called upon to read and interpret the scriptures. On one occasion, Jesus was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah to read (Is 61:1-2). The passage spoke of the restoration of Israel through the work of God's anointed one (the Messiah in Hebrew or Christos in Greek). Jesus announced that Isaiah's words applied to his own mission. He had been anointed by God's Spirit to announce a Jubilee year of God's favor, and to bring good news to the poor, the oppressed and afflicted. The Messianic era had arrived in Jesus' healing and preaching. God had anointed him to bring liberation and salvation to all who believed the good news. Although the people were amazed by Jesus' words, they rejected him as they did the prophets before him.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, anoint me with your Spirit to proclaim hope to the distressed.
TO SERVE: In what ways does my parish care for the poor and suffering?
Sunday 24 January, 2016
Sun 24th. St Francis de Sales. 3rd Sunday in Ordinary
Time. Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10. Your words, Lord, are spirit and life—Ps
18(19):8-10, 15. 1 Corinthians 12:12-30. Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21.
Word and Life.
We often wonder at the rituals that often accompany
the readings in the liturgy. The link between the liturgy, the Word of
God, the abundant life and social justice is brought to the fore again in the
second reading and the Gospel. Paul reminds us that the Word of God is
inescapably interpersonal because the Word of God is a person, into which all
the baptised are incorporated. Jesus makes the same link in reading from the
prophet Isaiah, in which ‘the good news’ turns our gaze to the poor, the
prisoners and the downtrodden.
In light of this injunction to hear the Word, live,
and share that life, these liturgical gestures can be seen as preparations for
the that life demanded by the Word of God. In something as simple as standing
for the Gospel, we are joined in solidarity with that nation who stood to hear
the Word of God in Nehemiah’s day and joined in the injunction to hear the Word
and live it. In the crossing of our heads, lips and heart, we are imprinting on
ourselves that good and abundant life that the Incarnate Word promised to give
us.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
In His Hands
|
Our Father never grows tired of hearing our little voices speak to
him in prayer, no matter what time it is. And he will never tune us out, no
matter how stupid we think we sound. No need or request is too great for him to
fulfill. He’s got the whole world and every aspect of our lives in the palm of
his loving hands.
January
24
St. Francis de Sales
(1567-1622)
St. Francis de Sales
(1567-1622)
Francis was destined by his father to be a
lawyer so that the young man could eventually take his elder’s place as a
senator from the province of Savoy in France. For this reason Francis was sent
to Padua to study law. After receiving his doctorate, he returned home and, in
due time, told his parents he wished to enter the priesthood. His father
strongly opposed Francis in this, and only after much patient persuasiveness on
the part of the gentle Francis did his father finally consent. Francis was
ordained and elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva, then a center for the
Calvinists. Francis set out to convert them, especially in the district of
Chablais. By preaching and distributing the little pamphlets he wrote to
explain true Catholic doctrine, he had remarkable success.
At 35 he became bishop of Geneva. While administering
his diocese he continued to preach, hear confessions and catechize the
children. His gentle character was a great asset in winning souls. He practiced
his own axiom, “A spoonful of honey attracts more flies than a barrelful of
vinegar.”
Besides his two well-known books, the Introduction
to the Devout Life and A Treatise on the Love of God, he
wrote many pamphlets and carried on a vast correspondence. For his writings, he
has been named patron of the Catholic Press. His writings, filled with his
characteristic gentle spirit, are addressed to lay people. He wants to make
them understand that they too are called to be saints. As he wrote in The
Introduction to the Devout Life: “It is an error, or rather a heresy, to
say devotion is incompatible with the life of a soldier, a tradesman, a prince,
or a married woman.... It has happened that many have lost perfection in the
desert who had preserved it in the world. ”
In spite of his busy and comparatively short life, he
had time to collaborate with another saint, Jane Frances de Chantal (August
12), in the work of establishing the Sisters of the Visitation. These women
were to practice the virtues exemplified in Mary’s visit to Elizabeth:
humility, piety and mutual charity. They at first engaged to a limited degree
in works of mercy for the poor and the sick. Today, while some communities
conduct schools, others live a strictly contemplative life.
Comment:
Francis de Sales took seriously the words of Christ, “Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart.” As he said himself, it took him 20 years to conquer his quick temper, but no one ever suspected he had such a problem, so overflowing with good nature and kindness was his usual manner of acting. His perennial meekness and sunny disposition won for him the title of “Gentleman Saint.”
Francis de Sales took seriously the words of Christ, “Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart.” As he said himself, it took him 20 years to conquer his quick temper, but no one ever suspected he had such a problem, so overflowing with good nature and kindness was his usual manner of acting. His perennial meekness and sunny disposition won for him the title of “Gentleman Saint.”
Quote:
Francis de Sales tells us: “The person who possesses Christian meekness is affectionate and tender towards everyone: he is disposed to forgive and excuse the frailties of others; the goodness of his heart appears in a sweet affability that influences his words and actions, presents every object to his view in the most charitable and pleasing light.”
Francis de Sales tells us: “The person who possesses Christian meekness is affectionate and tender towards everyone: he is disposed to forgive and excuse the frailties of others; the goodness of his heart appears in a sweet affability that influences his words and actions, presents every object to his view in the most charitable and pleasing light.”
Patron Saint of:
Authors
Deafness
Journalists
Writers
Authors
Deafness
Journalists
Writers
LECTIO DIVINA: 3RD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C)
Lectio:
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Jesus presents the programme of his
mission
in the community of Nazareth
Luke 1,1-4; 4,14-21
in the community of Nazareth
Luke 1,1-4; 4,14-21
1. Opening prayer
Shaddai, God of the mountain,
You who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling place,
lead our mind
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush to quench our thirst.
May the poverty of our feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and may it open our heart to hear the echo of silence
until the dawn,
wrapping us with the light of the new morning,
may bring us,
with the spent embers of the fire of the shepherds of the Absolute
who have kept vigil for us close to the divine Master,
the flavour of the holy memory.
Shaddai, God of the mountain,
You who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling place,
lead our mind
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush to quench our thirst.
May the poverty of our feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and may it open our heart to hear the echo of silence
until the dawn,
wrapping us with the light of the new morning,
may bring us,
with the spent embers of the fire of the shepherds of the Absolute
who have kept vigil for us close to the divine Master,
the flavour of the holy memory.
2. Lectio
a) The text:
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, 2 just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; 17 and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." 20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, 2 just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; 17 and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." 20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
b) Comment:
A brief introductory summary presents Jesus’ activity and his person, and the scene of this Gospel (Lk 4:14-21) takes place in the synagogue in Nazareth on a Saturday. Jesus’ return to the place from where his fame had spread everywhere in the region of Galilee and to which the Spirit led his steps, has a special reason. In concise terms, Luke tries to give a salvific interpretation to the events by shedding light on the salient aspects. The fact of Jesus teaching in the synagogue signifies his Jewish origin and his wish to be part of the cult so as to emphasise the vital role of the law that God had entrusted to his people and to offer himself as fulfilment and hope of Israel.
To the question implied in the narrative: Is Jesus a prophet? the reply becomes clearer according to the criteria of discernment used by Israel to verify whether a prophet was sent by Yahweh or not: is his teaching in accordance with the teachings of the law, do his works correspond with God’s commandments, do his prophecies concerning the future come true. In Nazareth, Jesus presents himself as a prophet – in fact he compares himself to Elijah and Elisha – even though he does not define himself as such in keeping with his custom that avoids any attempt at defining himself.
A brief introductory summary presents Jesus’ activity and his person, and the scene of this Gospel (Lk 4:14-21) takes place in the synagogue in Nazareth on a Saturday. Jesus’ return to the place from where his fame had spread everywhere in the region of Galilee and to which the Spirit led his steps, has a special reason. In concise terms, Luke tries to give a salvific interpretation to the events by shedding light on the salient aspects. The fact of Jesus teaching in the synagogue signifies his Jewish origin and his wish to be part of the cult so as to emphasise the vital role of the law that God had entrusted to his people and to offer himself as fulfilment and hope of Israel.
To the question implied in the narrative: Is Jesus a prophet? the reply becomes clearer according to the criteria of discernment used by Israel to verify whether a prophet was sent by Yahweh or not: is his teaching in accordance with the teachings of the law, do his works correspond with God’s commandments, do his prophecies concerning the future come true. In Nazareth, Jesus presents himself as a prophet – in fact he compares himself to Elijah and Elisha – even though he does not define himself as such in keeping with his custom that avoids any attempt at defining himself.
c) A moment of silence:
Let us allow the voice of the Word to resonate within us.
3. Meditatio
Let us allow the voice of the Word to resonate within us.
3. Meditatio
a) Some questions:
- To research accurately every circumstance: are we always in a hurry during our day? Do we really wish to research accurately that which happens to us?
- He sent me to proclaim the good news to the poor: do I always think of the poor as the others while I belong to the haves and those who know, and that consequently I do not need anyone?
- Today this scripture has been fulfilled: what Scripture do we know so well as to recognise it as incarnation in our day?
- To research accurately every circumstance: are we always in a hurry during our day? Do we really wish to research accurately that which happens to us?
- He sent me to proclaim the good news to the poor: do I always think of the poor as the others while I belong to the haves and those who know, and that consequently I do not need anyone?
- Today this scripture has been fulfilled: what Scripture do we know so well as to recognise it as incarnation in our day?
b) A key to the reading:
A historical contextualisation
The passage of the synagogue of Nazareth
is part of programmed angle that later will form the key to the reading of what
follows in Luke’s Gospel. The reference to the prophet Isaiah is basic because
therein is revealed the continuity of the human history of God. Jesus’
gestures, placed in parallel, “He stood and opened the scroll” (v.17), “he
closed the scroll and sat down” (v.20), give the narrative a
liturgical character that is customary yet new.
The newness occurs in the homily that renders the prophecy present. Today, a key word in Luke, expresses the fulfilment in Christ of God’s purpose. The immediate reactions to this today are of surprise and unbelief, of wonder and scandal even to rejection already found in the question that follows Jesus’ proclamation, a question hanging in the air without an answer: “Is not this the son of Joseph?” (v. 22). The contrast with the Word proclaimed of a man who is invested by the spirit of the Lord, consecrated by an anointing, sent on a special mission of messianic flavour: to bring the good news, to forgive, to proclaim…creates a conflict of identity.
The newness occurs in the homily that renders the prophecy present. Today, a key word in Luke, expresses the fulfilment in Christ of God’s purpose. The immediate reactions to this today are of surprise and unbelief, of wonder and scandal even to rejection already found in the question that follows Jesus’ proclamation, a question hanging in the air without an answer: “Is not this the son of Joseph?” (v. 22). The contrast with the Word proclaimed of a man who is invested by the spirit of the Lord, consecrated by an anointing, sent on a special mission of messianic flavour: to bring the good news, to forgive, to proclaim…creates a conflict of identity.
A literary contextualisation
This passage does not have precise
parallels in the synoptic Gospels. Jesus’ visit to Nazareth in Matthew 13:53-58
and in Mark 6:1-6a is limited to a question concerning Jesus’ origin and his
rejection. There is no description of the rite in the synagogue nor is there a
record of the words Jesus pronounced and of the interpretation of the present
fulfilment of the sacred Word. The only concordance, apart from the diversity
of the contexts, is in the rejection of Jesus by the Nazarenes.
Through Jesus’ discourse in Nazareth, Luke wants to introduce and shed light on the whole public mystery of Jesus. Isaiah 61:1-2 contains a synthesis of the great themes that characterise Luke’s Gospel and those most dear to him: the Holy Spirit, the messianic anointing, the eschatological liberation, the messianic joy, the divine intervention in favour of the poor and oppressed, the proclamation of the year of grace. The programme inaugurated in Mark with the proclamation: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:14-15) and in Matthew in the discourse on the mountain (Mt 5: 1-48), appears in Luke at the centre of the Jewish cult: that which is fulfilled is not the time but the Scripture. The reader is invited to see the necessity of “walking” with Christ and to imitate him on the way of conformity to the will of the Father. Jerusalem, the end of a long journey (Lk 9:51-18,14) that leads Jesus towards the decisive moment of his life, is also the final point of his earthly mission (Lk 24) and the beginning of the life of the newborn Church (Acts 1-2).
Through Jesus’ discourse in Nazareth, Luke wants to introduce and shed light on the whole public mystery of Jesus. Isaiah 61:1-2 contains a synthesis of the great themes that characterise Luke’s Gospel and those most dear to him: the Holy Spirit, the messianic anointing, the eschatological liberation, the messianic joy, the divine intervention in favour of the poor and oppressed, the proclamation of the year of grace. The programme inaugurated in Mark with the proclamation: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:14-15) and in Matthew in the discourse on the mountain (Mt 5: 1-48), appears in Luke at the centre of the Jewish cult: that which is fulfilled is not the time but the Scripture. The reader is invited to see the necessity of “walking” with Christ and to imitate him on the way of conformity to the will of the Father. Jerusalem, the end of a long journey (Lk 9:51-18,14) that leads Jesus towards the decisive moment of his life, is also the final point of his earthly mission (Lk 24) and the beginning of the life of the newborn Church (Acts 1-2).
Literary genre
In this passage, we can see a slight
literary unity. The editorial intervention of Luke that begins from traditional
data, follows its own purpose. The unitary design of both parts shows internal
clarity and accurate external delimitation. For Luke the two fields of
questioning are inseparable: Who is Jesus? and To whom
is his work addressed? The relationship between word and action is
very strong, dramatic action of a proclamation that takes place in life. This
passage wants to introduce the public mystery of Jesus, almost enabling him to
act on the confines of his belonging to Israel. The Spirit abundantly given to
Jesus: at his birth (1:35), at his baptism (3:22), during the temptations (4:1)
at the beginning of his mission (4:14) is the Spirit mentioned in Isaiah (v.18)
who makes God’s action explicit. An action without ethnic limits and that does
not seek notoriety, but that is in favour of those in need of salvation: the
poor, prisoners, the blind, the oppressed, and to begin the time of grace of
the Lord. The prophet sent by God is free from all limiting and binding
pretence. We pass from a cult of the synagogue that is not capable of welcoming
the ancient Word fulfilled in the today, to a cult of following on the roads of
the world. Jesus goes off, he follows his way that from Jerusalem will lead him
to the ends of the earth through his followers
Detailed analysis of the text
A detailed analysis of the verses of
this passage will reveal important peculiarities, which, within a historical
framework, give in the scene of the synagogue a synthesis of the Gospel as to
content and events.
v.16: It seems that the
synagogue was a place frequented by Jesus. It is here that since his early
adulthood he has heard the Word of God and has interpreted it according to the
living tradition of the people. It is significant that Jesus seeks out the
centres of cult. Every adult Jew could read the word, generally the leaders of
the synagogue entrusted this task to those who were experts in Scripture. The
fact that Jesus gets up to read shows that it was customary for him to do so as
it was customary for him to attend the synagogue. The words: “as his
custom was” lends great force to the verse almost as though the one
who reads and speaks is not just anyone, but a son of Israel expert in the
reading and interpretation of the Torah and the Prophets.
Christian faith then is born from faithful representatives of the people of
Israel whose time of waiting has come to fulfilment. All the main characters in
Luke are authentic Israelites: Zachary, Elisabeth and John, Mary, Joseph and
Jesus, the apostles and later in Acts, Paul. This is “a custom” that
carries with it something new. The synagogue is the place from where the
proclamation begins and spreads to the cities of Judah and Galilee, and the
whole of Israel even to the ends of the earth.
vv. 17-19: Jesus finds the
passage in Isaiah 61:1-2 which probably refers to the consecration of a prophet
(cfr 1 Kg 19:16). Luke leaves out from the citation from Isaiah the menacing
end because it is of no interest to his purpose: he emphasises that Jesus’
teaching has its roots in Scripture (17-19; 25-27) and makes it present in his
own Person. The words of Isaiah on his lips acquire their full meaning and
summarise his mission (cfr 4:1), full of the Spirit, anointed by the Lord, sent
to proclaim the good news to the poor, freedom to prisoners and those
oppressed, sight to the blind and to preach the time of grace of the Lord.
v. 20: The detailed
description of the gestures foreshadows what is to come. Jesus speaks while
sitting, the typical position of one who teaches. The eyes of the people turned
towards him prepare us for the importance of what he is about to say. His is a
short but disturbing homily. The movements show the character of this passage
from Luke. Jesus came, he went in, he stood up, he sat down, he passed among
them, he went away. The Nazarenes too rise but it is to throw him out. The
contrast is clear. Jesus stands up to read, the men stand up to send him away.
The waiting described in this verse: “The eyes of all in the synagogue
were gazing on him” degenerates into a rejection. The problem is not
the proclamation, already well known and source of hope for devout Israelites,
but the one who proclaims it and makes it his own.
v. 21: Jesus does not pass
any comments on the words of Isaiah, but he makes them present. His is a word
event - rhêma - (Acts 10:37), a word that is salvation now.
The prophecy comes alive and is taking place. Jesus’ interpretation goes beyond
every expectation. In the Word, the today is present, the today that
is typical of the Evangelist and that is the today of
salvation, thetoday of the fulfilment that comes from listening
(cfr Rom 10,17). What is essential for Luke is listening. The realisation of
the ancient promises repeated in the whole of Luke’s works (Lk 9:51; Acts 2:1;
19:21) is for those who listen: the anawim, the poor, the
oppressed, those favoured of Jhwh (Is 11:4; 29:19) and now those favoured of
Jesus (Mt 11:28).
c) Reflection:
The exegesis made by Jesus himself on
Isaiah 61 is an example of actualisation that reveals the messianic present and
recourse to passages of Scripture to shed light on the present situation.
Christ’s is a creative authority that demands of people to adapt their lives to
the message, accepting the Anointed of God and renouncing the presumption of
reducing him to their dimension. This pragmatic perspective is the key to
actualisation in every age: the today of salvation echoes
wherever there is preaching, so also the welcoming and the commitment.
In the synagogue of Nazareth, we find the fundamental answers of human beings who live in expectation of meeting with salvation. Jesus is sent by God and is sustained by the Spirit. The anointing says that his is the Christ. In him Scripture is fulfilled. He is the today of God who fulfils past history now come to maturation in Jesus and will turn into the daily today of tomorrow that is the time of the Church, it too sent as prophetic Word, sustained by the Spirit.
The main message found in this passage of Luke is the Scripture. The Scripture contains the whole of God’s secret who lives in eternity and who becomes one of us
In the synagogue of Nazareth, we find the fundamental answers of human beings who live in expectation of meeting with salvation. Jesus is sent by God and is sustained by the Spirit. The anointing says that his is the Christ. In him Scripture is fulfilled. He is the today of God who fulfils past history now come to maturation in Jesus and will turn into the daily today of tomorrow that is the time of the Church, it too sent as prophetic Word, sustained by the Spirit.
The main message found in this passage of Luke is the Scripture. The Scripture contains the whole of God’s secret who lives in eternity and who becomes one of us
4. Oratio
Psalm 2, 6-9
Psalm 2, 6-9
"I myself have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord,
who said to me, "You are my son;
today I am your father.
Only ask it of me,
and I will make your inheritance the nations,
your possession the ends of the earth.
With an iron rod you shall shepherd them,
like a clay pot you will shatter them."
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord,
who said to me, "You are my son;
today I am your father.
Only ask it of me,
and I will make your inheritance the nations,
your possession the ends of the earth.
With an iron rod you shall shepherd them,
like a clay pot you will shatter them."
5. Contemplatio
Today: this the key word in my daily
life. In this today the Scripture is fulfilled. In this today Christ goes into
the synagogue of my convictions to proclaim the good news to the poverty of my
thought, to my feelings that are prisoners of that desire built on the ruins of
grey days stretched from hour to hour, to my vision obscured by my all too
short-sightedness. A year of grace, of conversion, of blessing. Lord, may my
today be yours so that not one of your words may fall in vain in my life, but
that your words may be fulfilled as grains of wheat in the frozen furrow of the
past, capable of budding at the first signs of spring.
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