THIRD SUNDAY OF YEAR "C"

THIRD SUNDAY OF YEAR “C”

 

Lk. 1, 1-14; 4, 14-21

There are many heart-warming stories of people’s kindness. Here is another by Edwin Markham. A shoemaker was told in a dream that he would see Jesus some time the next day. So he waited in his store the whole day. The only one who came in the morning was an old man. His shoes were badly torn. The shoemaker gave the old man a fresh pair at no charge. In the afternoon came an elderly woman. She had not eaten since the day before. The shoemaker promptly gave her his own lunch packet. As evening approached, a child came in crying bitterly. “I am lost,” she kept saying. He reached the girl home. Returning, he was sure he had missed his rendezvous with Christ. Then he heard a voice: “I kept my word. Three times today I came to your door. Three times my shadow was on your floor. I was the poor man with bruised feet, the woman you gave to eat, and the lost child you took home.”

Today’s Gospel puts the Master back in his hometown of Nazareth. He had come back for a long weekend, and was anxious to spend quality time with his mother. At this point he was a celebrity. The news about the miracle at Cana preceded him. Cana was only six kilometres away. His name was on everybody’s lips. “He’s our own local boy, and he’s made it good. Speaks graciously and does everything well.” Every eye was on Mary’s door. The natives were expecting some kind of fireworks to erupt from the house; or if he could do an encore of the Cana performance. Jesus simply stayed put at his mother’s.

Then on the Sabbath day Mary’s door swung outwards. With her arm in her Son’s they walked to the synagogue. He would not miss the Sabbath worship for all the grapes and olives of Palestine. You can bet your life and not lose it that the synagogue was packed to the rafters that morning; and you can correctly imagine that the ushers led Jesus and mother to the aisle seat up front. Predictably the synagogue president invited our Leader to read the Scriptures. The Teacher deliberately chose that passage from Isaiah that he wanted to share with his townsfolk. Those were the first public words of the adult Jesus Christ, recorded by St. Luke. Luke’s Gospel shows that there was an unbroken line between God’s promise made through the prophets and their fulfilment in the person of Christ.  Jesus quoted the Prophet Isaiah, the 61^st. chapter, which is often referred to as the Gospel of the Old Testament.

 The words of Isaiah would make up the inaugural address of the Saviour. They tell us what Jesus is all about and what he considers his most important mission. He had come among his own to bring happy news to the poor, to tell captives that they were free, to open the eyes of the blind, and to relieve the burden of the oppressed. As you know, this vast project is going on on an international scale even today. inspired by Jesus Christ. Having finished the reading, he rejoined his proud mother. She realised that every eye in the synagogue was on her son.

Initially, Jesus’ message was met with praise and acclaim, but this response began to sour on account of jealousy and suspicion, even disappointment because Jesus did not signal a political-military revolution against the Roman oppression.  Their expectations were narrow and limited, rather too political and militaristic. They should have remembered that God had promised to replace their heart of stone with a heart of flesh. However, that was 2000 years ago, and we shall try to be understanding of people in their peculiar circumstances and leave the judgement to God. So the reaction of the townsfolk of Nazareth should not disturb us today. What is crucial is your personal reaction and mine. 

Jesus now stands before us. He still proclaims the Good News, making us see with new eyes that we are loved and forgiven, lifting the weight from our minds and oppression on our emotions, freeing us from whatever enslaves us. At the same time we need to allow for a certain amount of tension in our lives. Tension keeps us going, it is a challenge to action and can be fruitful. For instance, dealing with people can be a strain. If you want a tension-free life, you will have to get rid of the people. Might as well pitch your tent in the cemetery.

Jesus’ first homily was a “Declaration of Dependence on God”, to tell us how much we need him for our true and lasting joy, already now in this life. There stands Jesus, the sum and substance of our life, as he stood before his townsfolk, saying, “Today this reading has been fulfilled in your presence. What are you going to do about it ?” Jesus was a man who tested life, and was in turn tested by it, and he discovered that life and death were not bad jokes. We shall face life with its problems and challenges as authentically as he did.

PRAYER (Sadhu Sundar Singh, 1889 – 1929)

{Sadhu Sundar Singh was a sikh who was converted to Christianity following a vision. He died in 1929 at the young age of 40}.

Dear Master, your varied blessings and gifts have filled my heart to overflowing with gratitude and praise. But the praise of heart and tongue are not enough for me until I prove by my deeds that my life is devoted to your service. Master, to be seated at your feet is better far than to sit upon the highest throne of earth, for it means to be enthroned forever in the eternal kingdom. And now, on the altar of those holy feet I offer myself as a sacrifice. Graciously accept me and use me in your service.