This text is being fulfilled today

 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C - 30th January 2022

Gospel Luke 4: 21–30

Jesus began to speak to them in the synagogue, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips. They said, ‘This is Joseph’s son surely?’ But he replied, ‘No doubt you will quote me the saying, “Physician heal yourself” and tell me, “We have heard all that happened in Capernaum, do the same here in your own countryside.”’ And he went on, ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.

‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these; he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’

When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I come to pray, I try to put all other concerns to one side for this moment. Reminding myself of God’s presence in and around me, I breathe in his life and love. I ask him to be with me in a special way during this time of prayer.

When I'm ready, I slowly read the text a couple of  mes.

I imagine the scene, Jesus standing in the synagogue and then sitting to teach. The people were approving of him, proud of this local young man.

But he challenges them quite abruptly.

How do I react? Can I see myself being shaken out of my complacency? How or when has something similar happened to me?

I ponder this and speak to the Lord.

Whom do I consider, even unconsciously, as outsiders? I pray for them, for my community, for all the global suffering around differences of religion, ethnicity ... I pray we will not allow Jesus to slip away.

I end my prayer with a slow Glory be ...

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