Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled

Luke 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.”

Discussion Questions:

1. The poor are at the heart of Jesus’ ministry. Do you believe that we have also been anointed to care for the poor? How do you care for the poor in your faith practice?
2. This Gospel story gives us an example of how Jesus translated his baptismal experience and “beloved son identity” into mission. How do you go about interpreting and responding to the “spiritual meaning” of daily events in your life?
3. If we were to proclaim, “a year acceptable to the Lord,” What about the way we live as a community and you personally, would need to change to make it more acceptable to the Lord?
4. Where do you feel your God given talents, spiritual gifts and personal desires come together in service of your Christian mission?

Biblical Context

Sr. Mary M. McGlone CSJ
Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Today’s Gospel selection begins with Luke’s literary dedication of the book and then skips to Jesus’ announcement of his mission in his hometown. In between these two passages, Luke mentioned Jesus’ baptism, the descent of the Spirit, and Jesus’ time of temptation in the desert.

Luke’s dedication gives us a good amount of information about his purpose and the context for his writing. He tells us that many have narrated the events of Jesus’ mission — although not many of those writings survived and even fewer have been recognized as presenting authentic portraits of Jesus. Luke admits that various narratives depended on eyewitnesses and says that he wants to recapitulate everything in an orderly way so that his reader can grasp the solid truth of it all. Luke addressed all of this to someone called Theophilus, a name which means “friend of God.”

After hearing what Luke took as his mission, we hear his description of Jesus’ proclamation of his own mission and vocation.

Luke’s Gospel begins with great emphasis on the Holy Spirit. In the beginning, the angel told Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her. Simeon recognized Jesus in the Temple by the power of the Spirit. When Jesus was baptized, the Spirit descended upon him and then led him to the wilderness. Now, when Jesus returns to Galilee, Luke says that he did so under the power of the Spirit.

Luke tells us that Jesus announced his mission among laypeople in the synagogue, not in the Temple, the religious center where the priests presided. The synagogue had de-clericalized Israel’s prayer by allowing worship to happen anywhere that people gathered to hear the Scriptures and pray.

Luke’s narrative of Jesus’ self-presentation in his hometown synagogue brims over with symbolism. When the scroll was delivered into his hands, Jesus opened the Scriptures and read from the prophet Isaiah. (He actually quoted a combination of selections from Isaiah 61:1, 58:6 and 61:2.) Jesus chose passages that described his own vocation, beginning with the fact that the Spirit of God was upon him. As we saw last week in Cana, Jesus did not see his vocation as that of a fiery prophet; when he claimed the vocation to announce a year of favor, he deliberately omitted a phrase about God’s vindication.

The phrases Jesus read were well known. But then he did the unexpected. While all eyes were on him, instead of beginning to comment on the passage, instead of telling his people that they should all hope for the day of the Lord, Jesus sat down and said, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

The time for commentaries and theologizing had come to an end. Jesus was no scribe, priest or even a prophet. While he had been in the desert, he had rejected the devil’s proposals for how to live as God’s son and servant. In the synagogue, he reintroduced himself to his people. He was anointed to teach by doing. From that moment on, he would reveal God’s will and favor by actually being glad tidings, by freeing people, by giving sight and establishing an atmosphere pleasing to God.

Today’s readings combine to demand our immediate attention and action. They remind us of the immense power of God’s living word. Today’s liturgy tells us that if we are Christians, being the body of Christ and good news to the poor is not an option but the sine qua non of our life.

The Spirit is Upon you

Spiritual Commentary
Denise Simeone

Today we hear the words of one of Israel’s most well-known prophets as Jesus chooses a passage from Isaiah to herald the beginning of his public ministry. Jesus was in the synagogue, where, as a devout Jew, he would have gone to pray, study the

Torah and meditate. The scriptures say he went as he usually did. He picked up a scroll from Isaiah and read a portion to the assembly. It was a passage full of powerful images.

Sometimes, I hear people say that they wish Jesus had come during their lifetime because they imagine if they had heard him with their own ears, it would have been easier to know what he wanted disciples to do. But I don’t know that meeting Jesus face to face would have helped me. This passage from Luke’s Gospel is painfully clear to me. Jesus spoke of radical inclusiveness. All those who were considered by religious authorities or political society as being outside the boundaries of God’s grace and love were completely included by Jesus in his mission of preaching about the reign of God. Jesus’ prophetic message is a far-reaching one of startling and astonishing justice that is a reversal of what people had come to expect of God. Jesus’ prophetic acts during his ministry created ripples, and the ripple effects of his message would have far-reaching impact including his own crucifixion.

As Jesus begins his public ministry, it is clear that all that he does and says points to building the reign of God, not just in heaven but here on earth. His prophetic words and deeds give hope to the least, the forgotten, the oppressed, the scorned. Anyone who was considered the least in the eyes of the world is given the promise of God’s favor. It is to these that God’s reign has come and to whom freedom, liberty and favor are given.

Prophetic acts create far-reaching ripples.

In 1961 an interracial group of people organized bus trips, “freedom rides” through the South to cast light on the civil rights struggles in this country, particularly the Jim Crow laws that banned blacks from restaurants, public restrooms and public buses. The people on these buses started out from Washington, D.C., and became known as “Freedom Riders.” During their non-violent protest drive throughout some Southern states, many of these riders, both white and black, were threatened, humiliated, brutally beaten and arrested and imprisoned. Yet they persisted in a peaceful struggle calling out for justice to the government and the citizens of the United States. They knew that Jesus promised hope and God’s favor to the oppressed.

Prophetic acts create far-reaching ripples.

Last year riders patterned after the original Freedom Riders crisscrossed the country in almost 20 buses as they headed to Washington, D.C. The buses were filled with “Immigrant Workers- Freedom Riders” who were struggling to raise awareness about the plight of immigrants and to expose injustice in the United States policies towards immigrant workers. During their trip, some were detained by law authorities, humiliated, scorned and told that they had no right to speak. Yet they persisted in their call for justice. God’s grace and favor is promised to the oppressed.

Prophetic acts create far-reaching ripples.

We have the power to breathe life into a world that is crying out for healing and justice. Hearing this passage and professing our faith in Jesus means that we believe we have a prophetic part to play in the building of the reign of God. Today this scripture passage is being fulfilled even while we are listening! We are the ones called to bring the good news of God’s reign to fulfillment. Our world depends on us.

Denise Simeone is the former editor of Celebration. She was involved in parish and diocesan work for over 30 years and has taught homiletics to diaconal and lay preachers.