3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C - 24/1/2016 - Gospel: Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21
God's Vision
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah in Luke 4:17-19 had been read aloud in the synagogue year after year and some claimed that the message applied to them, to save others from danger but these were empty promises, no one was able to do it. Jesus, on the other hand was the first person who fulfilled the prophet of Isaiah. Jesus did it in two ways:
First, Jesus alone accomplished the saving mission that God had promised.
Second, Jesus alone renews everything in Him.
The message applied to Jesus personally because He alone was going to defeat the power of evil and restore our image and likeness to its original form. Our original image and likeness was created after God's own image and likeness but it was twisted and defaced by the power of sin and death. By the power of His love for mankind, Jesus took our sins on His shoulders by means of the cross, to liberate us from the bondage of sins and broke the fetters of death. By being nailed on the cross Jesus washed away our sins with His own blood and by walking out of the tomb Jesus chained death forever in the dark chamber.
His mission on earth was to liberate us from the fear of death and offer us hope for everlasting life. Liberating of people's minds and hearts, setting them free from the bondage of sin is something no human power can do. Only God, the author of life can give life and renew life. By nature, evil spirits are arrogant. They certainly will not submit to God's power but will take up the fight and they shall be crushed. Evil spirits want to keep their kingdom intact, unchanged and under their control while God's Spirit breaks the chains of death and lift people up from their slavery and slumber. The battles and divisions will go on for sometimes, but, Jesus will win the final battle because the mighty strength Jesus used to achieve His mission is nothing else but the power of the Spirit in Him who is at work and active and Who defeats the power of evil spirit.
St Luke tells us that Jesus has power because of 'the power of the Spirit in Him' v14. It is not the people who praised Jesus that gave Him authority but rather it is the power of the Spirit working in Jesus that banished evils spirits. The same power cured all kind of sicknesses and deceases and liberated people from their bondages. Seeing this the people praised Him.
Jesus has completed His mission and has gain eternal glory for those who have faith in Him. We learn to embrace the eternal glory Jesus gave by living an active life in the faith community. We learn to embrace others as Jesus did because they too are parts of Christ's Body. As members of the same Body we should listen to our head who is Christ and do what the head wants us to do and that is to be active members of God's Church.
First, Jesus alone accomplished the saving mission that God had promised.
Second, Jesus alone renews everything in Him.
The message applied to Jesus personally because He alone was going to defeat the power of evil and restore our image and likeness to its original form. Our original image and likeness was created after God's own image and likeness but it was twisted and defaced by the power of sin and death. By the power of His love for mankind, Jesus took our sins on His shoulders by means of the cross, to liberate us from the bondage of sins and broke the fetters of death. By being nailed on the cross Jesus washed away our sins with His own blood and by walking out of the tomb Jesus chained death forever in the dark chamber.
His mission on earth was to liberate us from the fear of death and offer us hope for everlasting life. Liberating of people's minds and hearts, setting them free from the bondage of sin is something no human power can do. Only God, the author of life can give life and renew life. By nature, evil spirits are arrogant. They certainly will not submit to God's power but will take up the fight and they shall be crushed. Evil spirits want to keep their kingdom intact, unchanged and under their control while God's Spirit breaks the chains of death and lift people up from their slavery and slumber. The battles and divisions will go on for sometimes, but, Jesus will win the final battle because the mighty strength Jesus used to achieve His mission is nothing else but the power of the Spirit in Him who is at work and active and Who defeats the power of evil spirit.
St Luke tells us that Jesus has power because of 'the power of the Spirit in Him' v14. It is not the people who praised Jesus that gave Him authority but rather it is the power of the Spirit working in Jesus that banished evils spirits. The same power cured all kind of sicknesses and deceases and liberated people from their bondages. Seeing this the people praised Him.
Jesus has completed His mission and has gain eternal glory for those who have faith in Him. We learn to embrace the eternal glory Jesus gave by living an active life in the faith community. We learn to embrace others as Jesus did because they too are parts of Christ's Body. As members of the same Body we should listen to our head who is Christ and do what the head wants us to do and that is to be active members of God's Church.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia