REFLECTIONS TODAY
The present moment of salvation happens because Jesus fulfills his calling consistently even in the face of trials and opposition. Indeed, in this Gospel, we see how the initial admiration of the hearers later turns into criticism and rejection. The good news of Jesus is just too much for his people to accept, but nothing stops him. He already knows that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place” (v 24). Still, he allows the Spirit to empower him to reach out to the most vulnerable people, and he does it “today”!
He faces his own people in Nazareth and courageously proclaims his “vision - mission statement” inspired by a text from the book of Isaiah. Through Jesus, transformation of hearts and lives will now take place. How? The poor will hear the good news, the oppressed and the captives will be freed, the blind will recover their sight, all will enjoy the salvation of God.
How do you live the present moment, the “today” of your life? Do you have a personal vision-mission life program that includes service to the vulnerable people of your family and community? When rejection and trials come your way because of the good deeds you do, how do you transcend them and continue your mission in life?
Gospel • Luke 4:16-30
Jesus 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.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’ ” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.