1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Psalm 118(119):97-102; Luke 4:16-30
The scene from Nazareth in today's Gospel in Luke is charged with emotions. Expectation - as Jesus reads from Isaiah. We are looking forward to the promised Messiah - the King who will free us from the oppressive regime in which we live. And the rumours and witnesses statements about what Jesus has been doing and saying are matched by the text of the prophet!
And then Jesus simply says - yes, this is true, the prophecy is alive amid you here and now! A sense of deep joy pervades the room: moments later someone mentions that this is only the carpenter's boy.. and all of a sudden there is a feeling of distrust. The reaction is astonishing - for suddenly, no one seems able to accept the truth in their midst. Jesus's words hardly seem calculated to settle the mood - indeed they only inflame emotions, and a riot breaks out!
Make no mistake, Jesus's transformative message will inevitably cause some disruption. Friends might challenge your beliefs, even family members might disown you. When something of that sort happens, hold on to the truth, as the truth HAS saved you. This scene was deliberately crafted in the hellenistic style by Luke - combining contrasting messages to emphasise a key point. Jesus calmly walks on from the pain brought on themselves by the bickering faithful. Some carried on following him - will you?