The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. - Lk 4:18-19
God is good, all the time.
In today' gospel, Jesus declares himself in the synagogue as the Messiah, framing the purpose of his messiahship in terms different from what others have believed and thought. His words are exact: the good news of love for the poor, the blind, the captives, and the oppressed. Thus, Saint Paul, in 1 Cor 14:1, encourages us to make love our highest goal.
I am not sure what these words mean to many Christians. However, they lay out Jesus' eternal mission and vision for Christianity, discipleship, the church, and the world; he would stake his life on these terms. Saint John tells us, "This is the commandment we have from him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
It is becoming increasingly challenging for us to love and embrace others, especially when there seem to be gaps between us in perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors. This cause for more sober reflections on our part. The world needs love, people and nations around the globe are thirsting for love, and no kind of love can satisfy it except the one Jesus established in the world, "I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven," (Matt 5:44).
If we make it our highest goal to love and act as Jesus tells us, we can give the world the love it needs. Paul exhorts us in Phil 4:8, "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Let us think about these words of Saint John, "If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen."
Prayer blessings:Make me a channel of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring Your love.Where there is injury, Your pardon Lord. And where there's doubt, true faith in You.