The readings for Sunday, January 24, 2016, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C, are
Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Corinthians 12:12-30; and Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21.

This Sunday’s Gospel has two parts. The first part is a preface or prologue. In the prologue Luke notes that “many have undertaken to put together a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us,” that is, among the disciples of Jesus and the Christian Community, which sprang from the work of Jesus and his disciples. About fifty years had passed since Jesus left this earth. Luke was not satisfied with the efforts of others who undertook to write an account of the origins of the Christian Community. One effort Luke was not satisfied with was the Gospel of Mark, which became one of his primary sources for material. It should be kept in mind that there was as yet no canonical (officially approved ) status for any documents that were to become the New Testament. Luke freely changed, added, subtracted, and often gave new meaning to traditions he found in the Gospel of Mark.

Luke’s dissatisfaction with previous efforts leads him to write what he calls “an orderly account.” To a modern scholar his work does not always seem that orderly, at least from a historian’s view, but Luke should not be judged by literary standards of our time. When Luke writes a historical account it is not history as history would be written today, but theology and catechesis with a historical core. He informs readers of his reliance on traditions, “delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.”

The second part of this Sunday’s gospel begins after Jesus’ victory over Satan in the temptations of the wilderness. Luke can justly be called the Evangelist of the Holy Spirit. In his Infancy Narrative (Luke’s chapters one and two) the Holy Spirit is the prime mover of events surrounding John the Baptizer, his parents, Mary, and Jesus. At Jesus’ baptism the Holy Spirit descends upon him, then “full of the Holy Spirit, …he was led by the Spirit” into and in the wilderness of fasting and temptation.  The next phase is also attributed to the Holy Spirit as Luke writes, “Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.” In Luke’s enthusiastic and optimistic view Jesus is instantly famous in Galilee, and “he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” It is obvious that Luke has omitted much of what led to so such instant fame for Jesus. With no known training as a teaching scribe, Jesus was immediately teaching in the synagogues of Galilee — a considerable feat for one who only recently was the village carpenter. His fellow-citizens of Nazareth had some problems with Jesus’ sudden evolution of a “head above the crowds” status.

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.” Can one go home again? This visit home will turn out badly. Always a faithful Jew, Jesus went to synagogue on the Sabbath. Exactly what the customs were in choosing readers we do not know, but Luke writes, “Jesus stood up to read.” An attendant handed him a scroll of the Prophet Isaiah.” Luke’s concern is to proclaim a mission statement of his Gospel through the mouth of Jesus, somewhat like a “platform” of a political party today. Luke finds the mission statement of his “orderly narrative” in Isaiah 61:1-2 with reference to Isaiah 58:6 and 42:7. Like our other Gospel authors, Luke is not particular about quoting word for word. He makes whatever additions, omissions or changes are needed to accurately reflect his version of the mission of Christianity.

The Evangelist of the Holy Spirit begins his mission statement with a reference to the Holy Spirit, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” Up to this point in Luke’s gospel the Holy Spirit of God was active in the conception and formation of Jesus. The formation was completed with the Holy Spirit’s governance of a forty day retreat of Jesus in the wilderness. The same Spirit will also govern every phase of the public life of Jesus. Luke’s gospel more than the other Gospels is the Gospel of the poor. Therefore the first concern of the mission statement, “He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” It should not escape our notice that the first emphasis of the papacy of Pope Francis was “to proclaim good news to the poor.” The poor (poor in many ways) are also the major concern of Jesus’ mission in the Gospel of Luke. The final platform of the  mission statement, “to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,” a reference to the Old Testament Jubilee Year  — a time of cancellation of debts, forgiveness of sins. A Holy Year of Mercy!

This Sunday’s Gospel has two parts. The first part is a preface or prologue. In the prologue Luke notes that “many have undertaken to put together a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us,” that is, among the disciples of Jesus and the Christian Community, which sprang from the work of Jesus and his disciples. About fifty years had passed since Jesus left this earth. Luke was not satisfied with the efforts of others who undertook to write an account of the origins of the Christian Community. One effort Luke was not satisfied with was the Gospel of Mark, which became one of his primary sources for material. It should be kept in mind that there was as yet no canonical (officially approved ) status for any documents that were to become the New Testament. Luke freely changed, added, subtracted, and often gave new meaning to traditions he found in the Gospel of Mark.

Luke’s dissatisfaction with previous efforts leads him to write what he calls “an orderly account.” To a modern scholar his work does not always seem that orderly, at least from a historian’s view, but Luke should not be judged by literary standards of our time. When Luke writes a historical account it is not history as history would be written today, but theology and catechesis with a historical core. He informs readers of his reliance on traditions, “delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.”

The second part of this Sunday’s gospel begins after Jesus’ victory over Satan in the temptations of the wilderness. Luke can justly be called the Evangelist of the Holy Spirit. In his Infancy Narrative (Luke’s chapters one and two) the Holy Spirit is the prime mover of events surrounding John the Baptizer, his parents, Mary, and Jesus. At Jesus’ baptism the Holy Spirit descends upon him, then “full of the Holy Spirit, …he was led by the Spirit” into and in the wilderness of fasting and temptation.  The next phase is also attributed to the Holy Spirit as Luke writes, “Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.” In Luke’s enthusiastic and optimistic view Jesus is instantly famous in Galilee, and “he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” It is obvious that Luke has omitted much of what led to so such instant fame for Jesus. With no known training as a teaching scribe, Jesus was immediately teaching in the synagogues of Galilee — a considerable feat for one who only recently was the village carpenter. His fellow-citizens of Nazareth had some problems with Jesus’ sudden evolution of a “head above the crowds” status.

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.” Can one go home again? This visit home will turn out badly. Always a faithful Jew, Jesus went to synagogue on the Sabbath. Exactly what the customs were in choosing readers we do not know, but Luke writes, “Jesus stood up to read.” An attendant handed him a scroll of the Prophet Isaiah.” Luke’s concern is to proclaim a mission statement of his Gospel through the mouth of Jesus, somewhat like a “platform” of a political party today. Luke finds the mission statement of his “orderly narrative” in Isaiah 61:1-2 with reference to Isaiah 58:6 and 42:7. Like our other Gospel authors, Luke is not particular about quoting word for word. He makes whatever additions, omissions or changes are needed to accurately reflect his version of the mission of Christianity.

The Evangelist of the Holy Spirit begins his mission statement with a reference to the Holy Spirit, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” Up to this point in Luke’s Gospel the Holy Spirit of God was active in the conception and formation of Jesus. The formation was completed with the Holy Spirit’s governance of a forty day retreat of Jesus in the wilderness. The same Spirit will also govern every phase of the public life of Jesus. Luke’s gospel more than the other Gospels is the Gospel of the poor. Therefore the first concern of the mission statement, “He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” It should not escape our notice that the first emphasis of the papacy of Pope Francis was “to proclaim good news to the poor.” The poor (poor in many ways) are also the major concern of Jesus’ mission in the Gospel of Luke. The final platform of the  mission statement, “to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,” a reference to the Old Testament Jubilee Year  — a time of cancellation of debts, forgiveness of sins. A Holy Year of Mercy!