Daily Reflection for Monday, August 30, 2021
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Monday’s readings at this link:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083021.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Responsorial: Psalm 96:1 and 3, 4-5, 11-12, 13
Gospel: Luke 4:16-30
Our reflection on Monday’s readings:
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. Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18
I saw a recent meme that went like this: “It is not that the scriptures were written as literal stories in ancient times and we with our modern intellect understand their spiritual lessons. It is that writers of scripture wrote inspired spiritual lessons inspired by God and we find it convenient to read them as literal.” This means that often our first reading of any scripture focuses on the literal facts as presented. To gain spiritual grace from the reading we may need to dive deeper into contemplation.
Over the recent years I have had the honor to reflect on the daily scripture readings. I think the Lord wants me to dive more profoundly into the words of the Gospel and hear what they are telling me.
I can remember reading the gospel verses above in a Small Church Community meeting as we practiced Lectio Divina and being deeply struck by the words: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus' proclamation of being the anointed one of God our savior strengthened my faith in God.
I have also contemplated this scripture using the Ignatian method, placing myself in the people of the story and trying to feel what they felt.
Today I am pulled into seeing this scripture internalized. I am the Nazarenes, the Rabbi and, to an extent, even Jesus. Or more correctly they are all in me. Like Jesus I am anointed Priest, prophet, and King by my Baptism, I am ordained like a Rabbi. I am also the crowd of Nazarenes who first are in awe but then in indignation move to destroy Jesus. The Nazarenes are my doubts, inertia, and fears. Just as Jesus passes though the mob and continued on his mission, so must I push through the Nazarenes of my doubts, inertia, and fears to serve God.
Let us pray: Lord help us to bring glad tidings to the poor, not just the financially poor, but the poor in spirit, the sick, confused, tired, lonely, abandoned, and the unchurched.
Peace and Blessings,
Deacon John McShea