Homily for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Gospel lays out Jesus's mission. The Spirit that descended upon Him in the Jordan River led Him to proclaim a message and a way of life for those eager to be friends with God. He had moved away from home but made such an impression that news about Him reached His hometown of Nazareth. We are told that He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, as was His custom, and announced the beginning of a new age.

His sermon was straightforward for anyone familiar with the words of the prophets. Jesus read a remarkable passage from Isaiah that clearly described what would happen when the Messiah came. After reading, He rolled up the scroll and declared, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." By announcing that He had come to replace the old Jewish emphasis on law with a new law of love, He caused quite a stir. Initially, everyone was pleased with His basic message; however, in next Sunday's Gospel, we will learn how this encounter ended — not very well.

"To let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Our human nature can make us a bit resistant to God's will. This resistance manifests as a refusal to listen and an insistence on following our own path. Some basic rebelliousness and pride lead to the blindness and oppression mentioned in today's Gospel. We cannot resolve this alone; we need help from outside ourselves. But Jesus has come to join us, to lead us, and to save us, and this is the powerful good news announced in the Nazareth synagogue: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor."