Reflections based on ( Lk 4, 14-21)
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor...” In the gospel of today the evangelists show how Jesus begins his public ministry. The public ministry of Jesus is the work and guidance of the Holy Spirit, not just a doing what Jesus likes to do. Jesus begins his public ministry by quoting the prophet Isaiah who shows the main characteristic of the messiah. Yes Jesus is the messiah as he is the anointed one of the Holy Spirit and led by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit, strengthened and guided by the Holy Spirit Jesus preaches the good news to the poor. Some of the questions that come to each one of us would be what is the good news that Jesus preached? Do we need to hear that good news again? Why that good news is not affecting our lives today? The good news Jesus preached is that God loves each one of us unconditionally and unlimited way in Jesus and through Jesus. His love calls us to change our attitudes and behaviors towards one another. The central message of Jesus is always the same the Kingdom of God, the reign of God, or the rule of God’s love. Yes we need to hear this good news as long as our attitudes and behaviors are self centered and not God centered and other centered. All the problems and bad news in our personal, family and social life is that absence of God’s love and presence of self love. The modern idol worship is self worship, the way people spend time for themselves before computers, Televisions and they want more time for relaxation and they have less time for God and one another. The modern man may not be worshiping idols made of gold, silver or stone but they are worshiping themselves. From the morning till they sleep the subject of their thoughts, feelings and decisions are themselves and not God or fellow human beings. Therefore there is so much of bad news of loneliness, meaningless, boredom and depressions. These lead the people to alcoholism, drug addictions and other evils. So we need the good news not only once a week on Sundays but every day. The bible reading will help us to hear that good news of God’s love and care which would change our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Yes the church has declared this year as the year of the Bible and it is good to ask each one of us is there really Bible in our lives, in our homes? We have so many other books at home but very rarely people have Bible and even find time to read them few words daily. The Bible is the best love letter of God for each one of us and if we could read that love letter every day we shall be transformed by His love and joy. Why that good news is not affecting our lives today? The answer is clear, that the good news is for the poor. Who are the poor? Do we like to be poor? Today the world considers poverty as evil and Jesus says the good news is for the poor. Here the poor are those who depend totally on God and not on money and wealth. If all our attention from morning till evening how to collect more money, how to buy more and more modern things then we are not poor because we depend on money and the riches. The poor people are always satisfied and they have time for God and for others. Their wealth is time which is spent in faith. So if we are having only time to make more and more money less time for God and others then we are rich, so the good news will not affect us. For the rich God and His love is only just a theory or doctrine which has nothing to do with their daily life. But for the poor God’s love is a living reality and way of living their daily struggles. So the rich suffer from tensions, anxieties and sadness as they have less faith in God’s love and care. The poor are calm and peaceful in surrendering their daily problems to God and His tender loving care. So let us ask ourselves today are we the poor to hear the good news and live by that? Or are we the rich who are not all affected by the good news and suffer daily meaninglessly? Let Jesus the good news who come through this service help us to become poor before God by being humble and simple in faith and surrender. Amen.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor...” In the gospel of today the evangelists show how Jesus begins his public ministry. The public ministry of Jesus is the work and guidance of the Holy Spirit, not just a doing what Jesus likes to do. Jesus begins his public ministry by quoting the prophet Isaiah who shows the main characteristic of the messiah. Yes Jesus is the messiah as he is the anointed one of the Holy Spirit and led by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit, strengthened and guided by the Holy Spirit Jesus preaches the good news to the poor. Some of the questions that come to each one of us would be what is the good news that Jesus preached? Do we need to hear that good news again? Why that good news is not affecting our lives today? The good news Jesus preached is that God loves each one of us unconditionally and unlimited way in Jesus and through Jesus. His love calls us to change our attitudes and behaviors towards one another. The central message of Jesus is always the same the Kingdom of God, the reign of God, or the rule of God’s love. Yes we need to hear this good news as long as our attitudes and behaviors are self centered and not God centered and other centered. All the problems and bad news in our personal, family and social life is that absence of God’s love and presence of self love. The modern idol worship is self worship, the way people spend time for themselves before computers, Televisions and they want more time for relaxation and they have less time for God and one another. The modern man may not be worshiping idols made of gold, silver or stone but they are worshiping themselves. From the morning till they sleep the subject of their thoughts, feelings and decisions are themselves and not God or fellow human beings. Therefore there is so much of bad news of loneliness, meaningless, boredom and depressions. These lead the people to alcoholism, drug addictions and other evils. So we need the good news not only once a week on Sundays but every day. The bible reading will help us to hear that good news of God’s love and care which would change our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Yes the church has declared this year as the year of the Bible and it is good to ask each one of us is there really Bible in our lives, in our homes? We have so many other books at home but very rarely people have Bible and even find time to read them few words daily. The Bible is the best love letter of God for each one of us and if we could read that love letter every day we shall be transformed by His love and joy. Why that good news is not affecting our lives today? The answer is clear, that the good news is for the poor. Who are the poor? Do we like to be poor? Today the world considers poverty as evil and Jesus says the good news is for the poor. Here the poor are those who depend totally on God and not on money and wealth. If all our attention from morning till evening how to collect more money, how to buy more and more modern things then we are not poor because we depend on money and the riches. The poor people are always satisfied and they have time for God and for others. Their wealth is time which is spent in faith. So if we are having only time to make more and more money less time for God and others then we are rich, so the good news will not affect us. For the rich God and His love is only just a theory or doctrine which has nothing to do with their daily life. But for the poor God’s love is a living reality and way of living their daily struggles. So the rich suffer from tensions, anxieties and sadness as they have less faith in God’s love and care. The poor are calm and peaceful in surrendering their daily problems to God and His tender loving care. So let us ask ourselves today are we the poor to hear the good news and live by that? Or are we the rich who are not all affected by the good news and suffer daily meaninglessly? Let Jesus the good news who come through this service help us to become poor before God by being humble and simple in faith and surrender. Amen.
