Opening Prayer
Gospel
Jesus began to read the words of the prophet Isaiah to the people in the temple. “The spirit of God is with me, and he has sent me to bring the Good news to the poor. I have come to bring freedom and to show people a new way. “
After Jesus had finished reading from the scriptures he looked up at the crowd who were listening and said. “ Everything you have heard is coming true today, for I have been sent to bring the Good News to the world.”
The crowd grew angry when they heard this and said, “Surely this is the son of Joseph, the carpenter. He has no right to say such things!” Then they dragged him out of the temple and away from the town, but Jesus slipped away before they could do him any harm.
Discussion
Jesus told the crowd that the words of the prophet Isaiah were coming true that very day. God’s spirit was with him, and he had come to share the message of God’s love and mercy with all people.
Why did the crowd become angry?
Jesus was well known to many people in the crowd that day, because Nazareth was the town where he had grown up. They all knew him as Mary and Joseph’s son, an ordinary carpenter. The people were angry when they heard him announce that he was the special one that the prophet Isaiah had foretold would come. They did not believe that there was anything special about this man, so they dragged him from the temple and hurried him out of town.
How do you think Jesus felt?
Jesus knew that his own villagers and neighbours would find it hard to accept him as anything other than an ordinary carpenter. He probably felt sad and disappointed that they were not willing to listen and believe in his message. Jesus brought the message of God’s love to be shared with all people, whatever their race or colour might be. God knows and loves each one of us, and we are all of equal importance to him. Jesus was always ready to welcome and love everyone, and we must be ready to do the same.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus,
Open our ears to hear
the good news of God’s love.
Increase our faith and love for you.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
AMEN