From the responsorial psalm: “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."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:14-22)

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.

In the town where he grew up, Jesus goes according to his custom to the synagogue on the sabbath and there begins his public ministry. He fulfills the scripture passage of Isaiah. The Spirit of the Lord is upon him; he is anointed to bring hope to the poor; he is sent to bring liberty to the captives, sight to the blind, "and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." Perfectly accomplishing the will of the Father as the Messiah, Jesus does all of this and invites us to be sons and daughters in his mission of loving and serving one another with the love of the Father who, as John said, loved us first. Today, in our earthly lives, we can ask how we live out the values of the kingdom of God.

God, help me understand that it was the Messiah, Jesus Christ your Son, who said in the synagogue, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” John said, "Beloved, we love God because he first loved us." I know, Lord, you call me to obey your commandments by loving others, freeing them, and bringing God-centered gladness and sightedness to fellow sinners. Let me hold on to the importance of this when loving others is difficult. But let me take to heart that you loved me first, and that any good I accomplish will come from that gift you give to me. It is you, Lord, who liberate and free me to receive and give away your love to others. "O God," the psalmist sings, "with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son."

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.