Fr. John Ryan

 

THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

21st January 2007

 

Luke begins his Gospel by explaining that he has checked the other accounts that have been written so that he could reflect and then provide Theophilus with an ordered account of the life and teaching of Jesus. His main purpose is to confirm Theophilus in his faith. It would seem that Theophilus - lover of God - has heard the message of Christ and looks for more, is continuing his search.
Luke's resources are those accounts 'handed down to us by those who from the outset were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word'. By asserting that the accounts are from eyewitnesses adds weight to his work. It provides an intimate link with his writing and the actual occurrences reported. It is truly apostolic and, from the beginning, attests to its value. Considered inspired, Luke's Gospel becomes one of the four canonical Gospels recognised as Sacred Scripture and a primary source in our search for God, the God revealed by Jesus Christ.
One of the first incidents in the life of Jesus recorded by Luke is the reading of the text from Isaiah in the synagogue and the claim that it was being fulfilled even as the assembly were listening. Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled in the person of Jesus. The very fact that Jesus sees himself in the passage quoted means that the act of fulfilment is underway. Luke's Gospel will continue to outline how Jesus fulfils that passage. Jesus' mission is to lift the burdens placed on humanity with the burden of sin and the divide between God and humanity the two greatest burdens. Jesus' mission is to lift those burdens, Luke's mission is to tell Theophilus and, indeed, us that Jesus' succeeds in his work.
The basic mission of all who believe in Christ is to show that through their free response in faith they embrace the saving mission of Jesus and wish to allow all people to hear that great message of salvation. Pope John Paul II, in his Encyclical Letter, 'Redemptor Missio' emphasises the free gift of faith. He says in paragraph 8: '"Faith demands a free adherence on the part of man, but at the same time faith must also be offered to him, because the 'multitudes have the right to know the riches of the mystery of Christ-riches in which we believe that the whole of humanity can find, in unsuspected fullness, everything that it is gropingly searching for concerning God, man and his destiny, life and death, and truth.... This is why the Church keeps her missionary spirit alive, and even wishes to intensify it in the moment of history in which we are living.'(quoting Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 53) But it must also be stated, again with the Council, that 'in accordance with their dignity as persons, equipped with reason and free will and endowed with personal responsibility, all are impelled by their own nature and are bound by a moral obligation to seek truth, above all religious truth. They are further bound to hold to the truth once it is known, and to regulate their whole lives by its demands.' (quoting Vatican II document Dignitatis Humanae, 2)"
Like Theophilus we all search for meaning and deeper understanding of the mysteries of life itself, God, death, truth. In faith we believe that we have found the way to penetrate those mysteries. We have found a person who enlightens us on those mysteries and the Christian mission calls us to let that light shine forth. We bring the truth of Jesus Christ to others and pray that in their freedom others will also recognize the beauty of his message and allow it took root in their hearts.
We then become part of the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah. We enable Jesus act in the present.