“Jews in the Synagogue" by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn c. 1640s |
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 2:1-5
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102
It is my meditation all the day.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
for it is ever with me.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
when your decrees are my meditation.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
because I observe your precepts.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
that I may keep your words.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
for you have instructed me.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
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Commentary on Ps 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102
Gospel: Luke 4:16-30
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:
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.
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.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?”
He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb,
‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’”
And he said,
“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
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Commentary on Lk 4:16-30
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Reflection:
The situation in Nazareth, on a human level, was understandable. The son of Mary and Joseph returns home. Rumor of his exploits may have reached them. He had become a rabbi, a teacher of the faith. He wandered around (consorting with all kinds of people) and was now coming back to his friends and neighbors. We can imagine some of the men (and women) of Nazareth talking to each other before he arrived. “He’d better not try to put on airs around us. We know him and his family.”
[1] The picture is “Jews in the Synagogue“ by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn c. 1640s.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Letters of St. Paul, The Navarre Bible, Four Courts Press, 2003, p. 183.
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