Luke 4:14-21 (NRSV)
Read Luke 4:14-21 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. Verse 15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. Verse 16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, Verse 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: Verse 18"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, Verse 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Verse 20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Verse 21Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Devotion
Archbishop Dom Helder Camara, of Recife, Brazil (a very impoverished diocese) once remarked, “When I give hungry people food, they call me a Saint. When I ask why people are hungry, they call me a Communist.” We humans seem to have an aversion to anything that changes the status quo, unless we will be direct beneficiaries of the change!
Jesus announces that He will bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, recover sight for the blind, set free the oppressed, and that the Lord will save His people. His announcement gives dignity to the poor, captives, blind, oppressed and the "little ones" who will be saved. To those of us who are self-made, righteous, successful types who pulled our own selves up by our shoe-strings and have little sympathy for those who haven't, this is an affront!
I guess I need to decide which group I want to be associated with.
Prayer
Dear God, help me to be realistic about the fact that instead of hitting a triple, I was born on third base. Amen.