Thursday, January 9, 2025

Thursday after Epiphany

(I John 4:19-5:4; Luke 4:14-22)

Soon Donald Trump will become the forty-seventh president of the United States.  On Monday, January 20, he will take the oath of office and then give his inaugural address. In it he will tell the world of his hopes and plans for the country during the next four years.  In today’s gospel Jesus has just begun his public ministry.  He returns to Nazareth to give what amounts to an inaugural address.

By referring to himself as the prophet anointed by the Spirit of God, Jesus is saying that he is Israel’s long-awaited Messiah.  However, he is not going to do what most people expect of a messiah. He will not raise an army to force Rome out of Palestine.  Nor will he sit on a throne with servants waiting for his command.  Rather his messiahship will consist of raising the hearts of the poor and giving sight to the literally and figuratively blind.

We have chosen to follow Christ, whom we accept as the Messiah.  To be faithful to our choice, we should pursue the objectives he gives in the gospel.  In place of always seeking comfort, we should strive to comfort those who are dealing with great loss.  Instead of pursuing upward mobility, we should take time to help the lowly.

Homilette for Thursday, January 8, 2009

Christmas Weekday

(I John 4:19-5:4; Luke 4:14-22)

In 1961 when John Kennedy was inaugurated, he delivered one of the most inspiring speeches in history. “The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans,” the young president said, “born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage....” Now the United States awaits the inauguration of another young president with a claim to newness every bit as significant as that of his predecessor forty-eight years ago. But neither John Kennedy nor Barack Obama can match the anticipation that accompanies Jesus in the gospel today.

Jesus returns to his home town to deliver his first public address in Luke’s gospel. He enters the synagogue, takes the scroll with a passage from Isaiah, reads about someone being anointed by the Spirit to proclaim glad tidings to the poor, and finally announces that he has come to fulfill this prophecy. Humanity can sigh in relief. Women and men will have not only sound teaching to guide them to peace but also the strengthening of will to make it happen.

For all the great expectations that Barack Obama engenders, many are rightfully skeptical of his presidency because of his support of abortion. In any case, we must not place ultimate hope in political messiahs. They may improve the conditions of earthly life, but they cannot bring about a totally just society. For that we still look only to Jesus, the anointed one, who has long ascended to his throne to secure for us the deepest desires of our hearts.