Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Intention: For all those who serve as leaders in our Lasallian mission, that they may be inspired by the Holy Spirit to great faith and vision.
Today’s Gospel | Luke 4:21-30
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
From the Seventh Meditation for the Time of Retreat | Saint John Baptist de La Salle
God, having chosen and destined Saint Paul, as the Apostle says, to preach the Gospel to the nations, gave him such knowledge of the mysteries of Jesus Christ1 that he was enabled, like a good architect, to lay the foundation for the building of the faith and of the religion which God raised up in the cities where Saint Paul announced the Gospel according to the grace that God had given him. He was the first of all to preach in these places. That is why he says quite justly that those to whom he announced the Gospel are his work and that he has begotten them in Jesus Christ.
You must, then, regard your work, which has been entrusted to you by pastors and by fathers and mothers, as one of the most important and necessary services in the Church.
This means that you are called to lay the foundation for the building of the Church when you instruct children in the mystery of the most Holy Trinity and the mysteries accomplished by Jesus Christ when he was on earth.
Prayer
Eternal Father, each day you call to us through your words and the Scriptures and in the people and experiences of our lives. Open our ears to your voice, so that we might say yes to your invitation to make your ways our ways. Teach us how to let go of our self-centeredness and to welcome and serve others with humility and compassion. May we grow in our faithfulness to your will and be worthy builders of your Kingdom. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.