Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21
Several people have set themselves to relate the events that have taken place among us, as they were told by the first witnesses, who later became ministers of the word. After I, myself, had carefully gone over the whole story from the beginning, it seemed right for me to give you, Theophilus, an orderly account, so that your Excellency may know the truth of all you have been taught. Jesus acted with the power of the Spirit; and on his return to Galilee, the news about him spread throughout all that territory.
He began teaching in the synagogues of the Jews and everyone praised him.When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, as he usually did. He stood up to read, and they handed him the book of the prophet Isaiah. Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me, to bring good news to the poor; to proclaim liberty to captives; and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed; and to announce the Lord’s year of mercy.”Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he said to them, “Today, these prophetic words come true, even as you listen.”
Lectio Divina
READ: When Ezra read the book of the law, the people answered “Amen!” rejoicing to hear the Word of God. St. Paul tells us that members of the church are not simply those who hear the Word, but they are actual members of Christ’s body. In today’s Gospel Jesus also reads aloud from Holy Scripture with the astounding comment: that God’s prophecies have come to life, today, in their hearing.
REFLECT: We may imagine the Church as a pyramid, with bishops at the top, clergy underneath, and ordinary people at the bottom. But St. Paul offers a different image the Body of Christ—in which every member, each with his or her own gifts, is precious. In fact, the parts of the body that may seem merely ordinary may be the parts most needed. Not all are apostles! But those who put their more “ordinary” gifts at the service of God’s people are essential to the health of the Body.
PRAY: Lord, help me to know my gifts, and how I may put these at the service of your people.
ACT: Try to name the gifts that God has given you— whether “great” or “small” and consider how you might put them at the service of God’s people.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019
