In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
We see in Scriptures, and in the history of the Church, the appearance of blessings seems to come in phases. We see this in the spiritual life too—at the beginning prayer is easy, attending Church is easy, but over time these become difficult and excuses come to us quickly to avoid them.
For seven years Israel and his eleven sons experienced bountiful harvests in Canaan and enjoyed the produce of the land. For seven years, too, Pharoah and Egypt experienced the surplus, but under the Patriarch Joseph they did not sit on their laurels, they worked to build up a store for the hard times ahead.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
We have heard the Lord speak to us today of the blessings he brings. I am poor, I am captive, I am blind and oppressed and the Lord brings to me the Gospel, he releases me from captivity to sin, cures my blindness to truth and gives me freedom. And like Israel in Canaan I want to sit back and relax, enjoy these blessings for myself and continue on with my happy existence. But the Church is calling me, and she is calling you, to be as the Egyptians, to work with these blessings to store them up for the long road ahead—for a time when the years of plentiful harvests may disappear—that we may have Life. And when famine comes we may serve others, we may feed the hungry and offer Life to all the more.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Lord has given us a period of blessings, of support, of love. Let us not sit back and expect these to continue but come together to work hard to continue these blessings even in the periods of drought, hardship and challenge which lie ahead of us. Let us not be fair-weather religious but true Christians who offer back to the Lord all he gives to us and we will receive, in return, eternal Life.
And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’
Having heard, today, the fulfilment of the Scripture let us be encouraged in our Faithfulness, make our offerings to the Lord—our time, our talents, our money, our energy—that he may impart strength in the place of weakness, victory in the place of defeat, Life in the place of death.
That we may offer true glory, honour and worship to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who died for us that we may have Life, together with his unoriginate Father and the All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Timothy, my son, first of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
— First Timothy 2:1–7
At that time, Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.
— Luke 4:16–22