Gospel of Luke 4:14-22
He 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 said to them, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
As a Lector, I've come to appreciate this passage from scripture. I know how difficult and nerve-racking it can be to proclaim the Word of God to hundreds of parishioners. Will I pronounce the words correctly? Will I be heard and understood? Will my reading accurately convey God's message? On Sundays when I know a scripture passage will be quite challenging to read, I prepare myself by imagining I am Jesus in the synagogue. I confidently stand at the podium reading from the scroll of Isaiah. I passionately reveal to the assembly that the Spirit of the Lord is in our midst. There's no more waiting, no more wondering, no more pretending that God has manifested himself on earth. He has arrived to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to the oppressed. After my creative exploration, I feel a sense of peace knowing the Holy Spirit will dwell in me as I read at Mass. There is no need to be anxious or afraid. Gosh, I've been reading for over 6 years, some of the passages numerous times. I can do this!
Spirit of the Lord Upon Me This week has been slow. I'm just now getting back into the normal workday routine. I'm not feeling very motivated since I'm experiencing what I call the "holiday letdown." All of my Christmas decorations have been packed away. The holiday credit card bills are beginning to arrive. I certainly can't take any vacation right now since I was already off in December. To make matters worse, the "polar vortex" that's swept half of the nation brought along colder-than-normal temps to the DFW area. I can't hardly tolerate the cold, the wet, or the lack of sunshine. So uncomfortable!
January and February are depressive months for me. I go into my seasonal funk. I find it much harder to pray and to meditate. It's difficult to appreciate my blessings. I easily dwell on the things I lack in my life. Lately I've fallen into the sin of jealousy and envy. I used to never be like this when I was younger! Now that I will be hitting a major "decade birthday" this year I realize my inadequacies. I compare myself to other women, especially in terms of looks and accomplishments. I certainly wish I could write better. I wish I was more popular, successful, and financially secure. I sometimes think I'm a total failure in the eyes of God! I could have been so much holier, so much less self-absorbed, and so much more loving! Uh!! .... If I only I listened to the Spirit of the Lord quietly whispering in my heart at a younger age I may have made better decisions. I may have discerned a more fulfilling career, gotten married, and had children.
Today I need to make an effort to get out of myself and be in the presence of others. Don't allow my winter blues to prevent me from enjoying life and certainly don't let jealousy bring me down. The Spirit of the Lord is within me like a sanctuary inside my heart. The door is open inviting me to set aside all of my depressed feelings and allow the radiance of Christ to permeate my soul with love.
And his commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. (First Letter of John 4:19-5:4)
-J.
He 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 said to them, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
As a Lector, I've come to appreciate this passage from scripture. I know how difficult and nerve-racking it can be to proclaim the Word of God to hundreds of parishioners. Will I pronounce the words correctly? Will I be heard and understood? Will my reading accurately convey God's message? On Sundays when I know a scripture passage will be quite challenging to read, I prepare myself by imagining I am Jesus in the synagogue. I confidently stand at the podium reading from the scroll of Isaiah. I passionately reveal to the assembly that the Spirit of the Lord is in our midst. There's no more waiting, no more wondering, no more pretending that God has manifested himself on earth. He has arrived to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to the oppressed. After my creative exploration, I feel a sense of peace knowing the Holy Spirit will dwell in me as I read at Mass. There is no need to be anxious or afraid. Gosh, I've been reading for over 6 years, some of the passages numerous times. I can do this!
Spirit of the Lord Upon Me This week has been slow. I'm just now getting back into the normal workday routine. I'm not feeling very motivated since I'm experiencing what I call the "holiday letdown." All of my Christmas decorations have been packed away. The holiday credit card bills are beginning to arrive. I certainly can't take any vacation right now since I was already off in December. To make matters worse, the "polar vortex" that's swept half of the nation brought along colder-than-normal temps to the DFW area. I can't hardly tolerate the cold, the wet, or the lack of sunshine. So uncomfortable!
January and February are depressive months for me. I go into my seasonal funk. I find it much harder to pray and to meditate. It's difficult to appreciate my blessings. I easily dwell on the things I lack in my life. Lately I've fallen into the sin of jealousy and envy. I used to never be like this when I was younger! Now that I will be hitting a major "decade birthday" this year I realize my inadequacies. I compare myself to other women, especially in terms of looks and accomplishments. I certainly wish I could write better. I wish I was more popular, successful, and financially secure. I sometimes think I'm a total failure in the eyes of God! I could have been so much holier, so much less self-absorbed, and so much more loving! Uh!! .... If I only I listened to the Spirit of the Lord quietly whispering in my heart at a younger age I may have made better decisions. I may have discerned a more fulfilling career, gotten married, and had children.
Today I need to make an effort to get out of myself and be in the presence of others. Don't allow my winter blues to prevent me from enjoying life and certainly don't let jealousy bring me down. The Spirit of the Lord is within me like a sanctuary inside my heart. The door is open inviting me to set aside all of my depressed feelings and allow the radiance of Christ to permeate my soul with love.
And his commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. (First Letter of John 4:19-5:4)
-J.
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