The Gospel we have listened to announces the fulfillment of a prophecy overflowing with the Holy Spirit. And whoever performs it is the one who comes “with the power of the Spirit”: it is Jesus, the Savior.
The Word of God is alive: through the centuries he walks with us, and for the power of the Holy Spirit operates in history. The Lord, in fact, is always faithful to his promise, which he maintains for the love of men. Just so says Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth: “Today this writing has been accomplished that you have listened” (Lk 4:21). Sisters and brothers, What a happy coincidence! On the Sunday of the Word of God, still at the beginning of the Jubilee, this page of the Gospel is proclaimed of Luca, in which Jesus reveals himself as the Messiah “consecrated with the anointing” e sent to “proclaim the year of grace of the Lord”! Jesus is the living word, in which all the scriptures find full fulfillment. And we, in the today of the Holy Liturgy, are his contemporaries: we too, with amazement, full of amazement, we open the heart and the mind that listens to him, because “it is he who speaks when the Holy Scriptures are read in the Church”. I said a word, amazement. When we feel the Gospel, the words of the Gospel is not just listening to them, understanding them, they must get to the heart, produce what I said: amazement. The Word of God always amazes us, always renews us, enters the heart and always renews us.
And in this attitude of joyful faith we are invited to welcome ancient prophecy as exit from the heart of Christ, focusing on the five actions that characterize the Mission of the Messiah: a unique and universal mission; unique, because he only can do it; universal, because it wants to involve everyone. First of all, he comes “Sent to bring the happy announcement to the poor.” Here is the “Gospel”, the good news that Jesus proclaims: the kingdom of God is close! When God reigns, man is saved. The Lord comes to visit his people, taking care of the humile and the miserable. This Gospel is the word of compassion, which calls us to charity, to put the debts of the neighbor back and a generous social commitment. Let’s not forget that the Lord is near, merciful and compassionate. Proximity, mercy and compassion are the style of God.
The second action of Christ is “Proclaiming liberation to prisoners”. Brothers and sisters, evil has the days counted, because the future is of God. With the strength of the Spirit, Jesus redeem us from every fault and frees our hearts, frees him from every inner chain, bringing to the world the forgiveness of the Father . This Gospel is the word of mercy, which calls us to become witnesses enthusiasts of peace, solidarity, of reconciliation.
The third action, with which Jesus performs the prophecy, is donate «to the blind the sight». The Messiah opens the eyes of the heart, often dazzled by the charm of power and vanity: diseases of the soul, which prevent recognizing the presence of God and which make the weak and suffering invisible. This Gospel is a word of light, which calls us to the truth, to the testimony of faith and the consistency of life.
The fourth action is “Refurbish the oppressed”. No slavery resists the work of the Messiah, which makes us brothers in his name. The prisons of persecution and death are wide open by the love power of God. Because this Gospel is a word of freedom, which calls us to conversion of the heart, to the honesty of thought and perseverance in the test. Finally, the fifth action: Jesus is sent “to proclaim the year of grace of the Lord “. It is a new time, which does not consume life, but regenerates it. It is a Jubilee, like the one we started now, preparing us with hope for the definitive encounter with the Redeemer. This Gospel is a word of joy, which calls us to welcome, communion and path, from pilgrims, towards the kingdom of God.
Through these five actions, Jesus has already performed Isaiah’s prophecy. By creating our liberation, he announces that God is close to our poverty, we redeem us from evil, illuminate our eyes, breaks the yoke of the oppressions and makes us enter the jubilation of the past and a story in which he makes himself in mind , to walk with us and lead us to eternal life. The salvation that he gives us is not yet fully implemented, we know it; And yet wars, injustices, pain, death will not have the last word: the Gospel is in fact a living and certain word, which never disappoints, The Gospel never disappoints.
Brothers and sisters, on Sunday dedicated in a special way to the Word of God, we thank the Father for having turned to us his Word, made man for the salvation of the world. This is the event of which all the scriptures speak, which have men and the Holy Spirit as real authors. The whole Bible memory of Christ and his work and the Spirit actualize it in our life and history. When we read the Scriptures, when we pray to them and study them, we do not only receive information about God, but we welcome the spirit that reminds us of everything that Jesus said and did. Thus our heart, inflamed by faith, awaits in hope the advent of the kingdom of God. Brothers and sisters, we must be more accustomed to reading the Scriptures. I like to advise that everyone has a small gospel, a small pocket testament and take him to the bag, they always take him with him to take it in the day and read it, a song, two songs and so, during the day there is this contact with the Lord. A small Gospel is sufficient we respond with ardor to the happy announcement of Christ! The Lord, in fact, did not talk to us as in mute listeners, but as witnesses, calling us to evangelize at every time in every place. Forty brothers and sisters came from many parts of the world today to receive the Ministry of the Reuison, thanks. We are grateful and pray for them, we pray for you all. Let us all commit to bringing the happy announcement to the poor, to proclaim the liberation and the blind to the prisoners, to free the oppressed and to proclaim the year of grace of the Lord. Then yes, sisters and brothers, we will transform the world according to the will of God, who created it and redeemed it for love. Thank you
(Pool Aigav photo)
