25.1.2004 Sunday 3rd Ordinary Season
First Reading: Nehemiah 8, 2-4, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 18
Second Reading: I Corinthians 12, 12-13
Gospel Reading: Luke 1,1-4; 4,14-21
This Sunday coincides with the last day of the eight days of prayer for Christian
Unity. In these eight days we have continued to pray as Jesus did, during the
Last Supper when he asked his Father for the grace that his disciples should
be united in him and among themselves: they were to be a concrete sign for the
world of his own unity with his Father! Jesus knows that men and women do not
believe in him because of convincing discussions, but through the witness of
love that unites his disciples! For this reason St Paul, making Jesus' wish
his own, exhorts the Christians in Corinth who were being side-tracked by jealousy
and envy, to overcome their conflicts for the love of the Lord. For this reason
he uses the image which is easy for everyone to understand, of the different
parts of the body, which although they are very different, serve one another
and suffer with suffers, as is the case with the Church.
Divisions among Christians cause much suffering to the Body of Christ. Divisions
not wanted by God are the enmity between the Orthodox and the Catholics, the
Protestants and the Anglicans; the quarrels among parishes are divisions which
weaken evangelical witness as are quarrels in prayer or help groups or discord
among relations or enmity between families. What keeps us divided is stubbornness,
ambition and greed, not the love for our Lord or the love for his truth! These
divisions would not occur if we gave to Jesus' word the importance it merits:
it is more important than our fine ideas and our desires!
God's Word must have it's place of honour in our community and in all our hearts.
The first reading helps us to understand. The book of the Law which Ezra found
on returning from exile in Babylon, was read before all the people who listened
and were joyful because God was still speaking His Word to them. The day on
which the Word of God was read became a day of celebrations for everyone, even
for the poor who had nothing. The day of the Word is the day of the Lord, a
day which is consecrated, a day in which the community receives the gift of
unity, peace, wisdom, strength and joy! Those who read have a special place
where they can be seen by all; they read in a way that helps the people to understand
and with great rejoicing they show that they have received the Word!
The evangelist Luke helps us to understand the Word: today's passage includes
the introduction to the gospel and Jesus' meeting with his people.
First of all Luke reassures us of his seriousness in writing the gospel for
he had collected and put together the writings of others who were qualified
eye-witnesses like the Apostles.
He writes to strengthen the faith, our faith as believers threatened by our
sins and wavering in our resolutions out of ignorance.
Then the evangelist presents the meeting of Jesus with his relations and acquaintances
in the synagogue in Nazareth where he used to go every week. Here he stands
up to read the Word of God from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The passage
is very particular and everyone realizes that the Word is true and that it is
being fulfilled then and there. And Jesus, who knew that he had been consecrated
the Son of God upon coming out of the river Jordan, proclaimed the Word rather
than reading it. The Word of God refers to him and he announces it not only
from his lips, but from his heart too. He declares his mission, the task he
has received from the Father for the suffering of mankind in the world. All
men suffer, some because of poverty, some because of the lack of meaning in
their lives, some because of the lack of freedom, some because of submission
to evil spirits and all because of their sins; he is here to announce and give
joy, freedom, light, forgiveness announced by the word of the prophet. Jesus,
himself is the fulfilment of all that is good for man and for human community.
"Today this scripture had been fulfilled in your hearing …"!
What Jesus affirms for himself is true for all who are one with him, for his
mystical body, the Church. Jesus' mission is the mission of all those he called
and sent out! The Church, consecrated by the Holy Spirit announces hope to the
poor, freedom to the prisoners of evil, sight to those who cannot see any sense
in their lives and paths, freedom to those whom sin keeps slave to egoism and
who then become oppressors of their brothers. How important it is, therefore,
that the Church should not be influenced by the Divider: he might prevent in
part or entirely the realization of the task set by God! We will continue, therefore,
to pray for the unity of all Christians, cultivating in ourselves the spirit
of humility, obedience and brotherly love!