Bishop Barron's Gospel Reflection Holy Thursday Chrism Mass

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Holy Thursday - Chrism Mass

Luke 4:16-21

Friends, today’s Gospel recounts Jesus’ inaugural address in his hometown synagogue. Jesus reads words from the prophet Isaiah that he felt best summed up who he was and what his mission was. Therefore, it behooves us to listen carefully. Jesus first says, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me." The Ruach Yahweh, the breath of God, the spirit that hovered over the surface of the waters at the beginning of time, the life energy of God—this is what has seized and animated Jesus. Animated by the Ruach Yahweh, what does Jesus do? He brings "glad tidings to the poor," "liberty to captives," and "recovery of sight to the blind." In other words, he brings God’s love to those who are marginalized by injustice, freedom to those who are imprisoned in sin, and healing to those whose very self has been broken. After the Paschal Mystery and Resurrection, he breathed on his disciples, communicating to them something of this spirit—and drawing them into this mission. Reflect: Through baptism, we take up Christ’s mission during our lives. How have you brought "glad tidings to the poor," "liberty to captives," and "recovery of sight to the blind"?  Holy Thursday - Chrism Mass Lectionary: 260 Reading 1 Is 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, To announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn; To place on those who mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes, To give them oil of gladness in place of mourning, a glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit. You yourselves shall be named priests of the LORD, ministers of our God shall you be called. I will give them their recompense faithfully, a lasting covenant I will make with them. Their descendants shall be renowned among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; All who see them shall acknowledge them as a race the LORD has blessed. Rv 1:5-8 [Grace to you and peace] from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his Blood, who has made us into a Kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. All the peoples of the earth will lament him. Yes. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "the one who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Verse Before the Gospel Is 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18) The Spirit of the LORD is upon me; for he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor. Gospel Lk 4:16-21 Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: 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. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,  and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."