January 24, 2010 3rd Ordinary Sunday Neh. 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Cor. 12:12-30; Lk. 1:1-4, 4:14-21 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Readings:   http://www.usccb.org/nab/012410.shtml   ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   The readings continue the theme of the initial manifestations of Jesus. The Gospel joins the first words of Luke’s Gospel to Jesus’ initial proclamation at Nazareth.   The Gospel reading depicts Jesus returning to the town where he grew up. As an adult man, he was invited to read from the scroll and to comment on the message. This he did, but probably not as the other worshipers expected. The reading describes a kind of messianic figure, and Jesus identifies himself as that figure. As the reading is offered to us today, we do not hear how the people of Nazareth responded. And that is good for us, for then we can see ourselves in that assembly, and we can decide how Jesus’ interpretation will be heard.   The message of God’s word is meant for us. How do we hear it? Do we take it to heart? Or do we think its challenging message is intended for someone else? How do we break open that word for others?   Jesus roots his mission and ministry in the written word of Isaiah, in which the Spirit sends the prophet to bring glad tidings to the poor, liberation to captives, recovery of sight to the blind and freedom for the oppressed—language that reflects the biblical year of jubilee. Jesus’ sense of mission is an overture to his teaching and actions throughout the Gospel and to the mission of the early church in Acts. As the church concludes a year of jubilee, the Gospel reminds us that the church must continually renew the true jubilee of concern for the marginal and freedom for the oppressed.   If the spirit of the jubilee is to continue, the church must renew its commitment to live and study the word of God, and explore other ways in which more Catholics living the Gospel may become truly “ministers of the word,” and so manifest the diversity of gifts of the Spirit described by St. Paul to the Corinthians.   <<   Previous: 2nd Ordinary Sunday  | Next: 4th Ordinary Sunday >>   Go Back to SERMONS (Year C)