Daily Gospel Reflection for January 27, 2019 - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21 - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus began His public ministry when he read in the Temple from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings.” In today’s language, we could even call this his Mission Statement. We know from the gospels that Jesus was always attentive to the needs of the poor, the captive, the blind, and the oppressed. I wonder if Mary and Joseph stressed the verse from Deuteronomy 15:1, “I command you to open your hand to your poor and needy kinsman.” We know that “no one can do everything, but each one of us can do something”, but what is the “something” that can we do? We could begin by loving God and our neighbor. This should be the natural outgrowth that comes from God’s love of us. Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves - for the love of God. Is this love the glad tidings that Jesus spoke about? I like to think that all humans share in God’s “DNA”, making us all brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore, we should give everyone we encounter the same love and respect we give our closest family members. This means greeting the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker with arms wide open. We need to see the face of Christ in everyone. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “It is not how much we do but how much love we put in the doing – a lifelong sharing of love with others.”

Ponder:

As a member of the body of Christ, what are ways I can bring glad tidings to those in need so that all God’s children can proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord?