Breaking the Word

22^nd Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 31^st August 2022 — Gospel: Lk4,38-44

Strengthening Solitude

Today’s Gospel can be divided into three scenes: the first is Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law; the second is Jesus healing all sorts of people at all times of the day and night; and the third is Jesus in communion with the Father. Luke portrays Jesus as a man of action and yet a man of prayer, though he does not explicitly state here that Jesus prayed. He had engaged with the people and yet sought solitude to gather strength for fulfilling the Father’s will. Though the crowds wanted to prevent Jesus from leaving, Jesus seemed to have an internal clock that told him when it was time to move on. His actions were guided by the Father, in step with the Father’s salvific and redemptive mission. Jesus knew that the kingdom belongs to all. He had many seeds to plant before the consummation of his sacrifice out of love for all of humanity. And so, he moved on. This is an invitation for his followers to take up the work of healing in Jesus name and the need to be strengthened by the Father.

22^nd Week in Ord. Time, Tuesday – 30^th August 2022 — Gospel: Lk 4,31-37

Sincere Amazement

In today’s gospel, the reaction of the people are referred twice as they were amazed. The same people who noted the moral and intellectual authority of Jesus’ teaching (Lk 3:32) are now amazed at the spiritual power of His presence (Lk 4:36). Jesus, the carpenter, had bystanders enthralled and curious to hear what he would say next. They found him always saying something that stirred their hearts and spontaneously reacted with amazement. It is because of their openness to listen to and hear from Jesus that their hearts were disturbed. They were aware that Jesus’s words and actions were life-giving messages.  They found him preaching to their heart’s appeal and bringing fulfillment to their personal needs. They also found his authoritative power of words and actions that were sincere and truly coming from God. The open hearts of the simple people made them develop a taste for God’s word and dependence on its fulfilling power.