Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Lk 4: 16-30
September 4, 2023 | Monday

Today’s Gospel

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 to announce the Lord’s year of mercy.”

Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant and sat down; and 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 spoke of the grace of God. Nevertheless they asked, “Who is this but Joseph’s Son?” So he said, “Doubtless you will quote me the saying: Doctor, heal yourself! Do here, in your town, what they say you did in Capernaum.”

Jesus added, “No prophet is honored in his own country. Truly, I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens withheld rain for three years and six months and a great famine came over the whole land. Yet, Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in the country of Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet; and no one was healed except Naaman, the Syrian.”

On hearing these words, the whole assembly became indignant. They rose up and brought him out of the town, to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth is built, intending to throw him down the cliff. But he passed through their midst and went his way.

 Today’s Reflection:

Today’s readings have one common theme: judgment. In the Gospel, Jesus was judged by the very people of his native town of Nazareth. They
were amazed at His brilliance and wisdom. Yet, their human expectations were not met. They wanted Him to do wonders before their very eyes. However, Jesus said, “No prophet is honored in his own country”. Upon hearing this, they almost threw him down a cliff. In the same way, the first reading tells us about how things will be in Christ’s glorious second coming. When this happens, He is to judge the living and those who have fallen asleep.

Christ is the ultimate Judge of all as this is  accorded to Him by the Father. Let us then continue to pray that we may be found at least worthy to receive eternal life amidst our sinfulness..    /Vulnerasti, 2023