Meditation Minutes

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”

Gospel Reading: Luke 4:14-22

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.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims that he is the Lord promised to us in the Book of Isaiah. The reading says that he was anointed “to bring glad tidings to the poor.” Who are the poor? Are we not all poor? At times, do we not lack faith and hope in God. At times, do we not fall from the site of God? We are the ones who are held captive by this material world. We are the poor that he came to bring the glad tidings. We are the people that he brings faith and hope so that we can believe in life ever after. He goes on to say, “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.” Jesus tells them that he has come to perform miracles to free those who are least among his people. He has come to free us from the burdens in life which hold us back. He has come to give us sight so that we might see the Lord. He tells us, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” The reading concludes that “all spoke highly of him.” The people in the temple opened their eyes and their ears to the Word of God and believed. Jesus brought them the hope and promise that was made to the Jews through Isaiah. This is the same Word that is presented to us on Sundays during mass. Do you open your heart to see and hear the Word? There are many things in our lives which cloud our vision or muffle our hearing. But when we truly her the Word of God, our hearts dance with the joy and love that set us free.

A Simple Prayer

Lord God Heavenly Father, bless my eyes and ears that I may see and hear the Word of God.

Purify my heart that it may become a beacon for your message.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon