The Liberator of the Captives
Neh
8:2-4a,5-6,8-10; 1 Cor 12:12-30; Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21 (3 C)
“..every liturgical celebration, as an activity of Christ
the priest and of his body, which is the Church” ( Divine Office)
In the
opening verses, Luke establishes the purpose of his Gospel. His style is
typical of polished Greek and Roman literature. We learn that Luke may have
written to “Theophilus” (Lk 1:3). The Greek word “Theophilus” means “beloved of
God”. This meaning could be you and me - “the lover of God”. Luke wants his readers
to “know the truth” (Lk 1:4) about Jesus of Nazareth. He tells us that Jesus
was about 30 years of age when he began his public ministry (Lk 3:23). Right
after Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan (Lk 3:21-22), he was led by the
Spirit into the wilderness (Lk 4:1) to be tempted by the Devil (Mt 4:1). At the
end of the period of spiritual preparation and testing, Luke tells us that
Jesus chose to begin his public ministry in Galilee in fulfillment of the
prophecy of Isaiah (Is 9:1,2).
Isaiah
prophesied that the Messiah would preach “good news” and bring healing and
freedom to all who are oppressed (Is 61:1-2). Accordingly, Jesus the Messiah sent
by God awakened their hope in God’s promises fulfilled in his person. God’s
Spirit is the impulse directing Jesus, sending him to the poor, directing his
whole life toward those in need, oppressed, and humiliated. To say it in a
single word of Hebrew, it is “anawim”. The word “gospel” literally means
“good news”. It has the all-powerful, merciful, and life-giving power to transform
and bring freedom to those who accept it today.
The Church
understands that “when ‘the poor have the good news preached (Lk 4,18), it is
the sign of Christ’s presence” (CCC 2443). The Church opts for the poor. The
‘option for the poor’ is not invented by Vatican II. It is the option of God. He
breathes it through Jesus’ whole life. It’s not possible to live and announce
Jesus Christ if we don’t do it in defense of the least and in solidarity with
those who are excluded. What Gospel are we preaching? What Jesus are we
following? What spirituality are we promoting, if Jesus isn’t understood as the
liberator by those who suffer in various forms of discrimination and alienation?
St
Paul says, “Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members
of the body, though many, are one body. Can any organ or member of the body say
to another - I do not require you… If one member suffers, all suffer together. If
one member is honored, all rejoice (1 Cor 12:20-23). The Lord Jesus speaks the
same word to each of us today. He brings us healing, restoration, pardon, and
freedom from the oppression of sin, despair, hopelessness, and destruction. The
Lord will not refuse to pour out his Spirit on all of us who trust in him and try
to become the channel of his grace. Let us ask the Lord Jesus to renew the joy
of the Gospel and the freedom to live each day with trusting faith, joyful
hope, and fervent love.
“Your kingdom, Lord, is an everlasting kingdom, alleluia”
(Divine Office)
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