Reflection for Sunday January 26 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. 

He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

A father was having problems with his family. His wife was often out of the house with her friends, and his children were no different—often, they were out as well. Naturally, the father wondered how he could bring back peace, normalcy, and stability to their home.

Many ideas floated in his mind until he remembered the advice given to him by his grandmother years ago. She had told him to develop a regular habit of leading his family in reading and reflecting on the words of God in the Bible. So, he started—at first by himself, then, after a few weeks, he invited his wife and children to join him. Before long, they were living a happy and contented life. Yes, there were still problems from time to time, but they were able to resolve them.

The words of God in the Bible are a living spirit that gives life. They unite us, enlighten us, and refresh us. We must fully take advantage of this gift by dedicating regular time to reading, reflection, and meditation. Sadly, however, many Catholics seldom open their Bible to read, reflect, and partake of its wisdom and miracles.

In our Gospel, Jesus was in the synagogue on the Sabbath. He read aloud the words of the prophet Isaiah, which were meant for Him. Jesus did not keep them to Himself—He shared them with those who were present. Likewise, we must not only read the Bible but also have the courage to share and live its teachings.

Many are afraid to venture into sharing the words of God; they keep them to themselves. By doing so, they restrict the power of God's words within them and miss the opportunity to participate in the evangelization ministry of Jesus. God wills us to share what we know about Him so that many lives may be enlightened, and in the process, many souls will be saved.

As Jesus shared the wisdom of the Bible, so must we. Let us not be afraid of obstacles or our personal limitations, for God will always be there to help us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas