Reading
“When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Luke 4:16-21
Reflection
Growing up, when I thought of what it meant to be a Christian, I would have named a few things: go to church on Sundays, pray and read the Bible every day, be generous, be nice, and don’t cuss. If you grew up in church, your list may vary, but I imagine it’s not too different from mine.
What I would not have mentioned is anything related to the poor. Sure, caring for others in need is a great thing to do, but that was really more like extra credit—it was going above and beyond, something for the people who were really holy. If you didn’t get to it, it wasn’t something to worry about.
As Pastor Mark shared on Sunday, though, caring for the poor is essential for followers on Sunday. The Bible addresses poverty in some way more than 1,000 times! That is a lot! It seems like that is something we are meant to pay attention to. Father Ronald Rolheiser, one of the great spiritual teachers of our day, writes, “The call to become involved in helping the poor to find justice is a nonnegotiable pillar within Christian spirituality.”
Caring for people in need is not an optional add-on to Christian faith, and it’s not just a way to pad your resume. It is an integral part of following Jesus. As you prepare for your day, take a moment to ask where God is inviting you to be good news to the poor in the way you live your life. It might be as simple as paying attention to someone you walk or drive past every day. When we see and care for others who are struggling, we have the opportunity to both share and receive the grace and love of Jesus, whom the Holy Spirit anointed to bring good news to the poor.
Prayer
Spirit of God,
You anointed Jesus to preach good news to the poor,
And he sends us to embody that good news.
Help us to seek those who are in need—
To share generously,
To listen carefully,
And to receive gratefully,
So that all your people might be blessed.
Amen.
