Jesus declares his mission, quoting Isaiah.

And as Jesus proclaimed those words of the Scriptures,

He proclaimed the fulfilment of everything that had been prophesied,

all the miracles and signs He had performed,

all were the evidence that He was the Messiah that had been promised.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊      　

1 John 4:19-5:4

So, let us love one another, Since he loved us first.

If you say, "I love God," while you hate your brother or sister, you are a liar.

How can you love God, whom you do not see, if you do not love your brother, whom you see?

We received from him this commandment: let those who love God also love their brothers. Faith comes from God.

 

All those who believe that Jesus is the Anointed, are born of God; whoever loves the Father, loves the Son.

How may we know that we love the children of God? If we love God and fulfill his commands,

for God's love requires us to keep his commands. In fact,

his commandments are not a burden because all those born of God overcome the world.

And the victory, which overcomes the world, is our faith.

 

Ps 72:1-2, 14 & 15bc, 17 Lord, every nation on earth will adore you

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 4:14-22

Jesus acted with the power of the Spirit; and on his return to Galilee,

the news about him spread throughout all that territory.

He began teaching in the synagogues of the Jews and everyone praised him.

When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up,

he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, as he usually did. He stood up to read,

and they handed him the book of the prophet Isaiah.

 

Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me, to bring good news to the poor;

to proclaim liberty to captives; and new sight to the blind;

to free the oppressed; and to announce the Lord's year of mercy."

 

Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant and sat down;

and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he said to them,

"Today, these prophetic words come true, even as you listen." All agreed with him,

and were lost in wonder, while he spoke of the grace of God.

Nevertheless, they asked, "Who is this but Joseph's Son?"

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Faith is the rock upon which we build our lives."

"The world" for St John the Evangelist signifies that which is opposed to God's ways;

that which tempts us to focus on self, rather than on loving God and our neighbour.

Here John says, "the victory which overcomes the world is our faith."

The people in the Gospel show that faith as they agree with Jesus' message and are "lost in wonder" at the marvels of God.

 

But very quickly this trust and confidence in Jesus seems to evaporate, as they question his divinity,

thinking only of his humble earthly background. Our faith is key, too,

in overcoming temptation since we depend upon the Lord for grace and wisdom,

and so we need to keep trusting in Christ our Saviour, even when doubt starts to creep in.

 

Faith is the rock upon which we build our lives, which allows us to see the bigger picture to human existence,

a broader perspective which gives sense to the command to love and to be a co-worker with Christ in the work of pardon,

justice, new hope and compassion, rather than living superficially. Jesus is our Lord and Saviour.

May our faith in him deepen, so that our love may become ever greater.