Monday of the 22nd week in ordinary time year A
1 Thes. 4:13-18 Luke 4:16-30
Theme: Jesus’ manifesto
In the gospel reading of today, we see the manifesto of Jesus. A sure sign that his mission on earth was very clear to him. He had a guide that he was going to use, in carrying out his mission on earth. It may be like what our politicians do when they are vying for a position in the office. They present a manifesto that will convince the people that they know what to do to make things better for everyone. However, most of them do not have the intention to carry out what they presented to the people in their manifesto. But in the case of Jesus, he was clear about his mission, and he achieved everything that we see in the manifesto of Jesus, from the very beginning of his mission.
He was sincere with his mission to the people, and he actualized everything he set out to do from the very beginning. There is a lot we can learn from the manifesto of Jesus today, as human persons. The manifesto is a guide, and it gives you the necessary focus that will guide you in your work. The fact that we have a manifesto that has the common good at heart, simply means that we know what we should do. So, if it is not done like our politicians do sometimes, it may be difficult for the people to accept it. Jesus was sincere and he achieved everything he set out to do, from the beginning.
Another thing we should be mindful of from the gospel reading of today, is the issue of familiarity. The people were surprised about what Jesus was doing, because they knew about him and his family background, and they could not understand where the power was coming from. Jesus had to point out the fact that familiarity was the issue in this situation. He told them what they didn’t want to hear, and this greatly infuriated them, to the point that they were ready to harm him, but God saved him, and he walked away.
One thing we must be mindful of always is that God decides on who to use to carry out his mission. Irrespective of what you know or think about the person in question. Always remember that the way of God is different from our human ways, and he knows everyone more than we know ourselves. Do not allow familiarity to an individual, deny you the blessings of God that you stand to receive. May the Lord bless his words in our hearts in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.