Good News to the Poor

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.” ’ And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. Luke 4:14-30

Today is going to be a challenge. My husband is facing surgery this afternoon, and despite all the training and skill I have, when I sitting in the hospital awaiting a family member's procedure, I am an anxious mess. All professional gifts fall away, and I am just one woman waiting and trying to pray through it all. I cannot always see Go's light and peace in the midst of my own fears. None of us can. Jesus came home, filled with the spirit and the people were angry with his seemingly new found voice. His humanity and familiarity was all they could see. They could not see God's light within him, because they could not see it in themselves. May God give us the good news our hearts need to hear and the eyes with which to see it.

Loving Creator, you want us all to thrive

and give us the means to live in peace

yet we fight for power and over scraps

and we miss your blessings every day.

Help us to turn away from our bitter ways

help us to trust in you and you alone

for you are the source of  our freedom

you love us, remake and you heal us.

Let this be the day we turn our hearts to you

let it be a moment of setting down the pain

help us to lay all our fears at your feet

knowing your presence in our every moment. Amen.