Cycle C

Good News C9

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

New American Bible Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Bible Gateway New International Version Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Luke dedicated his writings to Theophilus, possibly a Roman who loved God very much and who was a Christian. He may have been an officer or judge since Luke called him “most excellent Theophilus.” Possibly Theophilus was trying to get all the teachings about Jesus straight in his head. So Luke tried to write it down for him so that perhaps it would help him understand who Jesus Christ was a little better. His writings have been read for many generations…since the 100’s.

In the early days there was just talking to spread the word. Then, they wrote things down on parchment paper and rolled them up in scrolls to save them for future generations. Next, came books, then still pictures, then moving pictures.

There are two people today who have tried to help us understand who Jesus Christ was….“The Gospel of John” a major moving picture, screen play written by John Goldsmith and directed by Philip Saville made sure that none of the words of John’s Gospel were changed in any way. With Mel Gibson’s production of The Passion of the Christ he has tried to show how Jesus was crucified. Whether or not you like these movies, I believe that the intent of the producers is to help us understand a little better who Jesus Christ was and to realize what he went through for us.

Imagine if you were Jesus and were reading the scriptures aloud, words that were passed down from 800 years before. Imagine if you received a letter and went to read it and it told you all the things you had done in your life and the things that you were going to do. Or you went to the computer and put your name in the search engine. The results brought up a link to you: the site tells what your name is, who your parents are and what you have done for God.

I want you to stand up and read this aloud: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind. He has sent me to let the oppressed go free. He has sent me to proclaim this year as acceptable to the Lord.”

You can make this scripture passage continue to be fulfilled today by your actions. You are the one that God has chosen to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, his only Son.

You can share food with the hungry. You can share your clothing with those who have none. You can cheer up the sad and lonely. You can buy a toy to share with someone who has no toys. You can give others in your family the right to choose. You can pray and ask God to show you what he wants you to do to. Look in the mirror. You are the one that God chose to be you. He called you by name. He knew when you were to be born and who your parents were going to be for a long time. He loves you very much. Decide that the things you do for God this year will be quite acceptable to the Lord.

Say the “Our Father” and the Prayer of St. Francis and ask God to show you how he wants you to serve his people.

“Our Father, who art in Heaven,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day, our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.”

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Copyright © 2004 Joan Y. Edwards