Thursday after Epiphany : 9th January 2025

The Word of God is ever active and living (Heb 4:12). Hence, procrastination is not the nature of God’s Word. In the Synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus was given the scroll of Isaiah; He proclaimed the vision of Isaiah – that God’s liberation is delivered by the anointed one. However, He added with emphasis “Today! This Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”. This emphasis clearly points to the working of the Lord at the present moment. It cannot be delayed. The hearts and minds of His hearers must be docile for God’s spirit to animate within them.

Jesus being anointed with the Spirit paved the way for the regulars in the synagogue to be open each day to the surprises of God, animating their energy and fervour to add zest into their routines despite being under the Roman rule. Perhaps, the circumstances of the day caused them to have a rigid mindset that limits God’s immense goodness to enter into their daily affairs. For us now, such a mindset actually belittles our own ability to expand our hearts to cooperate with God. Our failure to make space for God to act is because we rely heavily on our ability and blame our circumstances.  To our vision, God is forever looming in the horizon. The dramatic but gracious proclamation of God’s liberating words by Jesus in the Synagogue at Nazareth is actually enacted in every Eucharistic celebration. It transforms anyone whose ears are ready to listen and whose heart is docile to reason and accept.

Lord, may Your Living Word animate my performance of my role without delaying its gracious benefits.