Yesterday, we read from Luke how Jesus begins his ministry with a bold proclamation: God’s good news is for everyone—not just for those we expect or prefer. This radical inclusivity angered many in his hometown, just as it can unsettle us today. Yet it is precisely this boundary-breaking love that reveals the heart of God.
“Faith is not a private wager but a public risk that Jesus is worthy of trust when no other hope can be trusted.” – James M. Edwards
In this Sunday’s gospel story from Luke, Jesus returns to Galilee and delivers a provocative message in his hometown synagogue. Quoting Isaiah, he announces that God’s Spirit has anointed him to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” These familiar words from Genesis remind us that God’s story begins with creation—a story marked by possibility, order, and life. Yesterday, in Luke 3:1-22, we encountered another beginning. John the Baptist appears in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sins. His words challenge us to prepare for a new work of God and to align our lives with God’s purposes.
At the start of Jesus’ ministry, the story of God takes a profound turn. In Luke’s Gospel, we see how God’s call echoes through the wilderness, into the lives of fishermen, and among ordinary people longing for hope.