Favor

I’ve always admired people that just know their purpose in life. Growing up I had a friend and she knew she was going to be a Veterinarian since she was 5 or 6 years old and nothing took her off course toward that goal. I remember having one of the most significant epiphanies of my life when I started working at the Senior Living facility the first day and I looked at my nametag and my title said “server”. I am called to serve. Have you ever watched someone doing exactly what they were meant for: an amazing teacher, an anointed singer, a gifted speaker, an attentive nurse, a graceful mom, an engaged dad, etc. When we are fulfilling our call, the Spirit of the Lord is upon us in a very special way. Jesus gives us a picture of what that means in today’s gospel. He returned home in the power of the Spirit. What a great opening line. That same Spirit that powered Jesus lives in us, right here, right now! He chose Isaiah 61 to share with his friends and family at his synagogue. “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.” This is what a life powered by the Spirit looks like and since we are the hands and feet of Christ, this is now our call. 

Anointed in the Holy Spirit, we are called to encourage the poor, set people free from the things that hold us back like shame and self-hate, help each other see the workings of God in our lives giving sight to their blind hearts, and end oppression of one another. When we co-labor with Jesus on behalf of the poor, the captive, the blind, and the oppressed, we will proclaim a year of favor to the Lord. Favor in and from and for the Lord is for service, not status (Christine Caine). Favor moves us to act. I had a beautiful exchange with one of my assisted living residents yesterday that made me think of today’s gospel. Marjorie is 97 and in hospice and has been extremely lethargic as of late. I was tenderly waking her up so that she could take a bite of food, stroking her hand, her hair, etc. and gently placing a forkful of food in her mouth. Earlier that morning, God told me to evangelize without words, saying they can’t hear you anyway, so SHOW them. As I was ministering to Marjorie, her husband looked me in the eye, the kind of gaze that pierces your soul, and said, “You know exactly why you were put on this earth, and I see you. You are such a good person.” The Spirit of the Lord was upon us. This man had been a faithful Catholic his whole life, but was scolded by a priest for coming late to one Sunday mass, and he never returned again because of the shaming. I think he was set free in some small way and the favor of the Lord showed up. Praise God. The Spirit of the Lord is upon you! It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 1 JN 4:19–5:4

Beloved, we love God because
he first loved us. 
If anyone says, "I love God,"
but hates his brother, he is a liar;
for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen 
cannot love God whom he has not seen. 
This is the commandment we have from him:
Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him. 
In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments. 
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. 
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.

Responsorial Psalm PS 72:1-2, 14 AND 15BC, 17

R. (see 11)  Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
From fraud and violence he shall redeem them,
and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
May they be prayed for continually;
day by day shall they bless him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Alleluia LK 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 4:14-22

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." 
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.