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Jesus in the Synagogue |
In the 400s before
Christ, in a time of new beginnings for the Jews, Ezra gathers the
people together in a liturgical assembly so that they can renew the
covenant God had made with them centuries before—a covenant summed
up in that single phrase: “You are my people; and I am your God.”
The people cried out: Amen. Amen. So be it. We will not only be
hearers of God's Word but do
ers.
Centuries later,
St. Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to describe how
different parts have different functions; yet they all work for the
good of the whole body. We are one family by virtue of the life-giving waters of Baptism, brothers and sisters to
one another and sons and daughters of God our Father. And yes, God
lives within us and we live in God within a grace-filled community.
How appropriate
that we, in this year’s week of prayer for Christian Unity, should
pray, like Paul centuries ago, that the Spirit will make all
Christians one – for together we profess that there is one Lord,
one faith, and one baptism.
The theme of this
year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is "Called to Proclaim
the Mighty Acts of the Lord."
In the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus
begins his public ministry –his mission. He goes back to Nazareth
in the region of Galilee and walks into the local synagogue on the
Sabbath and takes the parchment of Scripture into his hands and
quotes from the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;
and he has sent me to bring good news.”
And then Jesus
says: “Today this prophecy is fulfilled in your midst.”
This was indeed a
bold statement for the audience. In a real sense, this is the
inaugural speech of Jesus as he starts his public ministry,
proclaiming aloud freedom, emancipation, and healing.
Jesus then sets
about to give hope to those who have lost hope, purpose in life to
those who have found little or no meaning.
Yes, Jesus
challenges us: to forgive one another; seek reconciliation in our
relationships; live an Other-centered life; and seek first the
kingdom of God.
We might ask
ourselves at the start of 2016, “How can I be a better person?”
We are called to
create a sanctuary in our families, workplaces and community, a place
where fellow human beings can find faith in God, hope in the future,
friendship and peace and support in life’s problems.
I like this simple
suggestion: each day, do a little bit more than you think you can.
God will give us that power of the Spirit, that same Spirit that
descended upon Jesus, to do a bit more than we think we can. Then
when our earthly life ends, we will approach God a little bit closer
than we thought.