Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Lectionary: 69

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....

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.

The two verses above are separated by Jesus's reading from Isaiah the Prophet. I have selected them to highlight the before-and-after effect of this incident. As he sat down, the astonished congregation might have asked, "What just happened?"

The story begins with a routine sabbath day in the synagogue. The faithful have come to hear the word of God. They seem to expect the usual readings, rabbinic reflections, perhaps a traditional harangue -- (My dad always liked a fire and brimstone harangue.) -- familiar songs and congregational dancing, followed by the blessing and gossipy chitchat as the group disperses. 

Jesus, a young man of about thirty, seems to be a recognized and familiar member of the home crowd. He stands up to read and is handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. There's nothing unusual so far. 

Nor are the words of Isaiah very different. This very long collection of prophetic writing by at least three different authors was then -- and still is -- very important. There is controversy over this particular passage. Who is the one anointed to bring glad tidings to the poor? Popular opinion supposes it must be the messiah. He should appear soon! A safer reading might say it is the descendants of Abraham. 

By the mysterious ways of God, the memory of Abraham, the Law of Moses, and the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah had survived thus far. In the meanwhile kingdoms and empires had risen and fallen; cities had appeared, prospered, and disappeared; while peoples, clans, and nations had developed traditions and as quickly forgotten them. The Jews, heirs of the Hebrews slaves and the elect of God, persisted. 

For all the years, they had little to show beyond their memories, which they retained by way of customary foods, songs, and the sacred writings. The books were written in the religious language of Hebrew. No one spoke it in the street anymore. Children were taught Hebrew so that they might hear and read the Word and understand its general meaning. The congregation who heard Jesus read this passage probably recognized its sound as we might recognize the King James version, quaint, familiar, and comfortable. 

No one expected much when the local boy stood up to do the reading. But when he sat down, they felt as if they'd been struck by lightning. What just happened? That was no ordinary reading of Isaiah! That was more than an extraordinary reading! 

The Word of God had proclaimed the Word of God. The man who knew every phrase, word, syllable and letter; every nuance, and subtle inflection of the word as well as he knew himself had read God's word. 

Saint Luke prepared us for the event when he wrote, "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit...."

You or I might be inspired by the Spirit once in a while. We hope we're always at least guided by the Spirit and that the Spirit might cover for us when we're hopelessly off target. But Jesus was filled with the Spirit at every moment; and his feeling, thinking, speaking, reading, and acting were always animated by God's Spirit. There is only one God, as he told us, "The Father and I are one!" When he stood before God's people, they knew him. The presence of God was as palpable as his body. 

We thank God for the Word even as we praise God for the Eucharist. They are inseparable and we study both with intense love.