Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 9, 2020
Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
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 let the oppressed go free, 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.”
All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”
Can you imagine the looks of disbelief on the faces of Nazarenes when Jesus reveals who he really is? For 30 years, they had seen him and his family regularly frequent the synagogue, and they knew him up until this very moment as nothing more than the carpenter’s son.
Jesus of Nazareth makes it clear that he is the Messiah, the anointed one promised by God and foretold for thousands of years, hundreds of generations, and dozens of disappointing kings. Yet until his public ministry began in Galilee, the world that he himself created and dwelt in did not know him from Adam.
Perhaps we as Christians have become very familiar with Christ without really knowing him. We, like the Nazarenes, might have passed right by him on the altar and in the streets without thinking twice. Perhaps we’ve failed to recognize his body in the Eucharist and his face in one another. After all, in his unfathomable humility, God remained hidden for 30 years as merely “Joseph’s son.”
To this very day, he continues to remain hidden under the appearance of bread and wine as well as the least of our brothers and sisters. If we aren’t careful to stop and take a closer look, we just might miss him.
Prayer
Jesus, help us always to remember that you are Lord and Savior. You are the fulfillment of history’s yearning. At the close of this day, we pray that we, too, can “bring good news to the poor.” Guide us to walk with those in pain. And bring us the insight to let go of anything that keeps us captive.
Saint of the Day
Sts. Julian and Basilissa were a married couple living in Egypt during the third and fourth centuries. They lived very simply and dedicated their lives to caring for the poor and sick. They converted their home to a hospital, which was said to serve nearly 1,000 people at a time.
After Basilissa died, Julian continued in his good works. During a persecution of Christians by the Roman empire, he sheltered priests from being captured and tortured. He himself was caught and tortured before being beheaded. Many others, including priests in hiding, were arrested with him and also martyred, including seven brothers; a recent convert to Christianity named Anastasius; as well as a boy, Celsus, and his mother.
The relics of Sts. Anastasius, Celsus, and Julian rest in the Basilica reliquary chapel.
Sts. Julian and Basilissa, you were the married couple who gave everything to care for the poor and sick—pray for us!