3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
To All the Parishioners of the Epiphany of the Lord
Today This Scripture Passage is Fulfilled in Your Hearing (Luke 4:21):
A Reset of Our Godly Priorities and Mission
The Prophet was speaking of the Messiah. “Today”, Jesus added, “this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21), thus indicating that he himself was the Messiah foretold by the Prophet, and that the long-expected “time” was beginning in him. The day of salvation had come, the “fullness of time”. All Jubilees point to this “time” and refer to the Messianic mission of Christ,
who came as the one “anointed” by the Holy Spirit, the one “sent by the Father”. It is he who proclaims the good news to the poor. It is he who brings liberty to those deprived of it,
who frees the oppressed and gives back sight to the blind (cf. Matthew 11:4-5; Luke 7:22).
In this way he ushers in “a year of the Lord’s favor”, which he proclaims not only with his words
but above all by his actions. The Jubilee, “a year of the Lord’s favor”, characterizes all the activity of Jesus; it is not merely the recurrence of an anniversary in time.
(Pope Saint John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 1994, Paragraph.11.)
Dear parishioners, the question that we ask here is: what did Jesus mean when he said that that ancient Scripture, spoken by that prophet, was fulfilled right there in Synagogue in Nazareth? He pulled out the words of an ancient prophet who was calling for a Reset of his Society based on an even more ancient law that laid out how we are supposed to Reset the Society when things got out of balance. And then, he said, that all of that had just come true because, I believe, Jesus was there. Jesus is the definitive fulfillment of the Scriptures.
The word Today emphasizes the immediacy and present reality of the fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus is referring to the passage that He just read from Isaiah 61:1-2, which speaks of the Anointed One bringing good news to the poor, freedom for the captives, and sight for the blind.
By declaring its fulfillment, Jesus is identifying Himself as the Messiah, the anointed one sent by God. This claim is profound, as it asserts that the long-awaited promises of God are being realized in Him. The concept of fulfillment is central to the Gospel message, as it ties the Old Testament prophecies to the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ, who is the final and definitive end.
Jesus announces: Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. This means two things: first, it is in Jesus that these promises are fulfilled, his person and his life make the difference. The second is: today, the Good News to the poor is announced; today, the release of captives and recovery of sight to the blind; today, the oppressed go free. This year is the year of the Lord’s favor, not some day in the far-off future, when we get around to it, some day when the rich get tired of being rich, until, literally, Kingdom come. God is not waiting for justice, or mercy. Jesus affirms that everything is fulfilled in Him.
The Mercy of God, the right of those who are poor and oppressed, and to find freedom is right now. In Jesus, we are freed from the values that say whatever has been established by those in power is how it has to be. God’s mercy is here, in Jesus Christ. In us, in his mercy, we live as merciful, in his hope, we are generous and share our lives, in his courage and his way of the Cross, we courageously face the difficulties that this world has brought and will continue to bring. We live in the year of the Lord’s favor.
Nevertheless, dear parishioners:
Today-The word Today is crucial in this context. Jesus is declaring that the fulfillment of the prophecy is not a distant future event but is happening in their presence. This word bridges the past promises of God with the present reality of Jesus’ ministry. It emphasizes the now of God’s salvation plan, inviting the listeners to recognize and respond to the momentous occasion.
This Scripture-The phrase this Scripture refers to the passage Jesus had just read from Isaiah 61:1-2, which means the writing or Scripture. This highlights the authority and sacredness of the text. By referring to this Scripture, Jesus is identifying Himself as the fulfillment of the prophetic words, asserting His messianic identity and mission. It underscores the continuity of God’s plan as revealed through the Scriptures. Scripture Reading is very important.
Is Fulfilled-The phrase is fulfilled is a declaration of the completion of prophecy. The phrase means to fill up or to complete. This indicates that what was promised and anticipated in the Scriptures has now come to fruition in Jesus. It is a powerful affirmation of His role as the Messiah and the inaugurator of God’s kingdom. This fulfillment is not just a historical event, but an ongoing reality in the lives of believers. Do we believe that this can become a True Reality?
In Your Hearing-The phrase in your hearing emphasizes the personal and immediate nature of the fulfilment. The phrase refers to hearing or listening. This indicates that the fulfillment of the prophecy is not just an abstract concept, but a tangible reality experienced by those present. It invites the listeners to be active participants in the unfolding of God’s plan. This phrase also serves as a call to faith, urging the audience to recognize and accept Jesus as the promised Messiah.
The above phrase underscores the personal and immediate nature of Jesus’ ministry. The audience in the Synagogue, familiar with the messianic expectations, would have understood the gravity of His claim. This statement challenges the listeners to recognize and respond to the revelation of God’s plan unfolding before them. It also highlights the importance of faith and perception, as the fulfillment of God’s promises requires acknowledgment and acceptance by those who hear. Are we true hearers of the Word of the Lord?
Dear friends, when we see Jesus in this passage declaring that the Scripture from the Book of Isaiah has just been fulfilled, he is referring mostly to the message that he was proclaiming throughout his life – especially his message of hope to those who were indebted, enslaved in some way and dispossessed.
I believe that Jesus is saying that this is a kind of fulfillment that needs to be in reach for any of us when it is called for. How Isaiah’s prophecy can be fulfilled, is really a urgent question for us right now? It seems to me that we are living at a particular moment in time when we are in need of a bit of a Reset.
And I believe that if Jesus could do that, then we could too. A Reset is possible. And it can begin with, even only a few people, believing that things can be different. It can begin with us praying for a Reset – a rethinking of the priorities of our being Christian believers. It can begin with us demanding change from our Christian families. This is the powerful fulfillment that we need and, as Jesus shows us, it can just begin with somebody saying that it is being fulfilled today in our Parish Community. Let us make this Reset a living reality.
Like Jesus, in our Epiphany parish, we can see ourselves, our call and mission in these words of the prophet Isaiah. We can actualize these words in our daily life and declare: Today This Scripture Passage is Fulfilled in Our Hearing. Let the Epiphany Parish work to make this Dream Come True.
Fraternally
Fr. John Peter Lazaar SAC, Pastor
Epiphany of the Lord