Homily for Monday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

When Jesus read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and then sat down, He made a commentary on what He had read, identifying Himself as the prophet who was sent to “bring glad tidings to the poor… to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” He also identified Himself with two other prophets, Elijah and Elisha, who ministered to non-Israelites, a hungry widow from Zarephath, and a leper from Syria who had been cured of his affliction. Jesus was saying to the people at Nazareth that He had come for all, especially those in the greatest need; it didn’t matter who they were or from where they came.

When Jesus claimed this vision of generosity as His own mission, the people of Nazareth became outraged. They thought that since Jesus was one of their own, they would receive special treatment from Him, but Jesus came to save all those in need. If He had any partiality, it was towards those broken in body, mind, or spirit.

The Lord continuously reaches out to us in our need and pain; all He asks is that we receive Him as He is, on His own terms, which the people of Nazareth were unable to do. The Lord is always close to all of us; it is our need, our suffering, whatever form it takes, that can bring us close to Him.