January 23, 2022
“Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee and his reputation spread throughout the region... He came to Nazareth where he had been raised and on entering the synagogue on the Sabbath, as he was in the habit of doing, he stood up to do the reading... ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me... Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.’”
It is easy for us to picture the visiting rabbi assuming His teaching role. Surely people wondered what His statement meant as they paid close attention to His words. In our own parish church, as the lector proclaims the word, and the priest or deacon, the gospel, I remind myself that it is God’s word. He is speaking to me, and I too give my full attention to the message. As I sit to hear the word, I listen. As I stand for the gospel, I ask that the word may be in my head, on my lips and in my heart.
The word takes root in my heart to direct my life. As Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah, He spoke of Himself, but also of we who have been touched by the Holy Spirit and like Him we are sent.