Texts taken from the “On Your Word” Missalette March-April 2024

Holy Week – Chrism Mass
2nd week of the psalter

FIRST READING

From the book of the prophet Isaiah (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 good news to the poor, to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, freedom to prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to give those who mourn in Zion a crown instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit. You shall be called priests of the Lord, you shall be named ministers of our God. I will faithfully give them their recompense, I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be renowned among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed. – The word of God.

Commentary on the first reading

The anonymous prophet of the Old Testament states that he has received the spirit of the Lord to accomplish great works: proclaiming liberation from slavery, inaugurating a new era, and announcing a day of God’s “vengeance.” In this grand vision, the entire people is entrusted with a universal mission toward the other nations. All Israel, therefore, awaited this great liberator. At the beginning of his public life, Jesus read this passage in the synagogue of Nazareth and announced to his fellow citizens that the passage referred to him and that the day of liberation had finally arrived. Everyone was amazed, because to his listeners Jesus was simply the carpenter’s son, and it was not apparent how he could free the people from slavery to Rome and proclaim the entire people of Israel holy and priestly. Let us therefore also learn to read Scripture not in a human way, but with the Holy Spirit. Jesus truly is that prophet, but the liberation is an interior one, from slavery to Satan and the chains of sin.

SECOND READING

From the book of Revelation by Saint John the Apostle  (Rev 1:4, 5-8)
Grace to you and peace from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and the 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 a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will beat their breasts over him. Yes, Amen! Says the Lord God: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty! – The word of God.

Commentary on the second reading

The text of Revelation perfectly takes up the passage from Isaiah that we read in the first reading and interprets it correctly. That ancient announced liberator is, for everyone, Jesus Christ, who is truly ruler of the whole earth. Liberation is not from earthly enemies, but from our sins; the battle is won not with swords and horses, but with the precious Blood of Christ; the kingdom established is not a poor human kingdom, but the eternal kingdom of heaven. It is written that in the end everyone will acknowledge him and beat their breasts; in the meantime, the kingdom spreads across the earth through preaching and the exercise of the priesthood, which is called to proclaim the universal lordship of Christ. What is the Church doing in the world? Why do priests, bishops, Holy Masses, and the sacraments exist? To continue, until the end, Christ’s mission, which is to take away the sins of the world, to lead people out of the swamps of sin, and to live in his grace. The cross is planted in every corner of the earth to make the Kingdom of Christ present.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 4:16-21)
At that time, Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and, as was his custom, he entered the synagogue on the sabbath and stood up to read. He was handed the 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; for this reason he has anointed me and sent me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to set free the oppressed and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor». He rolled up the scroll, returned it to the attendant, and sat down. In the synagogue, the eyes of everyone were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them: «Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing». – The Gospel of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the day

Whenever the word “today” is used in Luke’s Gospel, it announces a moment of change, liberation, and rebirth. We will hear it again in the episode of Zacchaeus – «today salvation has come to this house» (19:9) –, and Jesus will say it on the cross to the good thief – «today you will be with me in paradise» (23:43) –. At the beginning of the Gospel, the Lord announces a first decisive “today” for the whole people and for defining his own mission. He solemnly says that that ancient, mysterious prophet of Isaiah, consecrated specifically to free slaves and proclaim the year of favor, was himself. Therefore, there was no need to wait for anything else, because the Word had been fulfilled. It was then a matter for the people who listened – as for us – of entering that “today,” of realizing liberation with Christ and in Christ, having him as their leader. This seemed impossible to the inhabitants of Nazareth, who in fact refused to believe and drove Jesus out of the synagogue. Zacchaeus and the good thief, however, entered into Christ’s “today” and were saved. Wherever the Lord is, in fact, there are always liberation and salvation. The two sinners mentioned believed, immersed themselves in the new reality, followed the Lord, and were truly liberated.