Commentary on the Sunday readings III
Luke, a man of refined Greek culture, opens his Gospel with a prologue as in the classical works of antiquity. He does not call it a "gospel" but a "story" and "neat handwriting", the result of a "diligent investigation"about the "facts that have been fulfilled among us". It says "between us"He writes from a place far away from the Holy Land and does so after several years, so he is not an eyewitness. This suggests to all readers throughout history that the events of the Incarnation and the Redemption were indeed fulfilled".between us". It is directed by means of a captatio benevolentiae towards the "illustrious Theophilus", "friend of God". He apologizes for having joined the ranks of the "many"He is aware that his research has been accurate and he will expose the facts with "order"giving each event a place full of theological transcendence. Those of us who wish to be part of the illustrious group of God's friends to whom Luke writes, allow ourselves to be persuaded to read his gospel in its entirety, throughout this year, with appropriate commentaries.
Of Jesus' first steps in his public life, Luke highlights the presence of the Spirit who conceived him in his mother's womb and enveloped him in his infancy, descended upon him at his baptism and led him into the desert. Now, it accompanies him with its power in his return to Galilee and in his preaching in the synagogues. And He provokes in those who meet Him, as already in His infancy, the prayer of praise, which in Luke always refers to God. The scene in the synagogue of Nazareth has details proper to a source present at the event, perhaps his mother? Luke points out that Jesus goes to Nazareth, "where he had grown up"Thus referring to where he had grown up, noted in Lk 2:40 and 2:52.
By saying that "entered the synagogue, as was his custom on the Sabbath."The narrative is a visual description: we see him stand up to read, receive the scroll, unroll it, find the passage he is interested in quoting. The narrative is a visual description: we see him stand up to read, receive the scroll, unroll it, find the passage he is interested in quoting. As he reads the passage from Isaiah he stops at "enact the year of the Lord's favor" and omits the following verse: "A day of vengeance from our God". He keeps the humor and omits the revenge. We continue to watch him as he rolls up the book, returns it to the minister and sits down. We realize that in the synagogue all eyes are riveted on him. Then "began to tell them": weighing the words, looking the listeners in the eyes he tells them, literally, that on that day the scripture was fulfilled ".in your ears". If we listen to his word, we allow God to bring it to fulfillment in our lives.
The homily on the readings of Sunday III
The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaa small one-minute reflection for these readings.
