The works of a Messiah

Monday,
September 02, 2019
22nd Week in Ordinary TimeFirst Reading: 1 Thes 4: 13-18
Gospel Reading:
Lk 4:16-30
When Jesus came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed and announce the Lord’s year of mercy.”
Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it to the
attendant and sat down, while the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he said to them, “Today these prophetic words come true even as you listen.”
All agreed with him and were lost in wonder, while he kept on speaking of the grace of God. Nevertheless they asked, “Who is this but Joseph’s son?” (…)
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The passage from Isaiah quoted in today’s Gospel enumerates the marks of a Messiah, namely, Good-News proclaimer to the poor, Restorer of freedom to captives, Announcer of a year of mercy to sinners, Comforter of the oppressed, and Endower of sight to the blind. (They are arranged to form the acronym “grace” for better recall).
It was Jesus himself who read this passage from Isaiah before an unsuspecting crowd. To the surprise of all Jesus concluded the reading with these words: “Today these prophetic words come true even as you listen.” There was an adverse reaction from the crowd. By uttering those words Jesus was effectively presenting himself as the Messiah referred to in the passage just read. But Jesus was just their neighbor. How could they take him seriously in his indirect claim that he was the Messiah?
Today’s Gospel reading challenge us to bring to life the five works that identify the Messiah. We continue the Proclamation of the Good news if we back up our religiosity with works of charity. We restore freedom to modern slaves of techno-logy by reviving the values central to Christianity. We announce a year of mercy to a generation that has lost the sense of sin – where corruption is justified under the so-called power of the purse. We bring comfort to the oppressed by seeing to it that we are not part of the system that perpetuates injustice. We empower those who are blind to values and morals by remaining loyal to the teachings of the Church.
May the ‘g.r.a.c.e.’ that Christ brought to the world continue to flow through our lives as we strive to continue doing the five marks of a Messiah. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.