Gospel for January 30 2022 – Luke 4:21-30
Gospel Reflections for January 30 2022
Major conflicts ahead…
Football fans eagerly await who will be in the Superbowl. I hope your team does well. Can you imagine the talk as friends and families watch the next few games! I hope it is all good natured.
More seriously, the whole world is watching events in the Ukraine and if Russia will start a war. No good-natured feelings there. We hope and pray this ends peacefully.
There was also conflict in the home town of Jesus in today’s Gospel. He had just finished His speech that we heard in last week’s Gospel, when He affirmed good news for the poor, healing for the sick, and liberty for the oppressed. Certainly, happy news!
At first, the people of Nazareth like His message. But they slowly recognize Jesus means that His promise of good news, healing, and liberty are for people everywhere, and even beyond the city limits of Nazareth! Well, they did not like that, so they turn on Jesus, and even threaten His life.
In the ancient world, people were loving, caring, and compassionate, but only for their own family or village. When Jesus offers a message of salvation and love for all, they didn’t like it.
We might take it for granted that God’s love is for everyone, but it was revolutionary then. Yet, Jesus was not afraid to deliver His universal invitation to salvation and love for everyone.
The Second Reading today is St. Paul’s famous letter about love. It is read at almost every wedding, and appropriately so.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, and it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
That love is for everyone. Sadly, not everyone will accept it. We should for sure.
We want to grow in this kind of love every day. Never let a day go by that you do not spend some time in thinking how you can learn from this passage and grow in the love that Jesus lived every day Himself.
The world is often filled with conflicts but it cannot be that way with us. Always learn even more how to courageously live and love as Jesus lived and loved, which was a message meant for all people
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
God is love and Fr. Dave has reminded us of St. Paul’s simple but precisely accurate definition of love. We should all take a few minutes to focus on that definition so we can practice and spread it. What a wonderful world it could be!
Yes, St Paul gave the Corinthians and us the prescription for a happy life.
Thanks Larry for your comment. My Dad often would tell me “God Is Love” that is all you need to become a Real Catholic Christian. The longer I live ,the more I realize the Truth of his Statement. Daily readings of Scripture and attendance at Mass reinforces that understanding.
Thanks Father Dave for these weekly reminders of the Wonders of our Faith.
Your dad was a wise man!
I went to my nephew’s non-Catholic wedding and the minister used this reading to explicate how the new spouses should be to one another. He suggested putting the name of the bride/groom in the place of the word “love” ie. John is patient, John is kind….
It was a real eye-opener for all of us in attendance. I certainly could not say I fulfilled all those virtues in my relationship with my spouse or anyone else for that matter. Let us all work on making these examples of love a reality in our lives. What a different world it would be if we did!
I think if we could all place our names truthfully in the Corinthian passage the world would definitely be a better place!
Wonderful, wonderful reflection, Fr. Dave! Yes, “We want to grow in this kind of love everyday..”. Thank you for coming into our lives each Saturday and pointing us in the right direction…
You are very welcome! I am so glad you find my articles helpful.
Thank you Fr, Dave. Today I watched the movie ” St. Paul, the Apostle”. I saw it when it came out and I was so touched watching it that I went back to the theatre to watch it again. Then, I got the CD and I felt that I had to watch it again. My bottom line is that while we think we live in “difficult time” , the days of the early christian – in this movie about 30 years after Christ crucificion and resurrection – were really horrible. Basically, the chirstians were getting murdered everywhere in horrible inhuman ways. Times are tough these days with emminent war, viruses, our christian values are getting challenged daily and the schools are teaching our children things most adults do not want to hear, and suicide has become common with young people and older also. Yes, times are very tough today but in a different way, And, all signs are that God is having enough! The Mass is the center of our faith and I am in a great parish where Mass is celebrated several times every days and confession almost every day! I consider myself blessed beyond belief as I wait for the “other shoe to fall”. Many Blessings!
Yes, the early church was amazingly brave. We stand on the shoulders of spiritual giants! I have learned so much from their example and that is so useful for today.
Reading your reflection and listening to the Mass readings I was reminded of the book I am reading a book about forgiveness. Unfortunately I cannot get past the introductory. I have studied about forgivenes many times, however, this goes a step further. Talking about walking in love as the Epistle says and talking about not going by rejection and how people react to you when talking the truth is easier said then done.
We have lived a life of covering up the hurts that we have felt nd convinced ourselves that it is okay. Then we react. Ouch.
So ow as I get older and recognize the hint as to what someone is saying y the grace of God I try to act in love. It has taken long time to get there..
Thank you for your great reflection. I think Our Lord wants us to keep things simple. We love others no matter what the reaction or response. If rejected, we do not take it personally, but just move on, as Jesus did in Nazareth.
love your precious words, Grow in Love every day!!! If we do something precious for someone every day, we will grow in love!! Every day is a miracle , every day share a miracle of love with someone!! If we all do it we will overwhelm the world with our precious Jesus’ LOVE!!! loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it!!! Thank you for bringing our loving Jesus’ love to us!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, franca and Dick
Thank you!