Epiphany
January 24, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 4:14-21

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’—Luke 4:20-21

Jesus is quoted as saying in Luke 4:18-19 the essence of Isaiah’s message found in Isaiah 58:6 and 61:1-2. His statement above in a way echoes Isaiah 6:8, Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ as Jesus publically accepts the role of being sent by God with a message of justice.

While we live in frustrating times where I have a stronger desire to turn off the news rather than listen to it, it is a time of potential paradigm shift. It is a time when justice is at a pivotal point. Like a rope pulling contest, we find ourselves in the muck of mud with slim on our feet and hands making it hard to hold onto the rope much less pull. Yet we who are dedicated to serving on the side of God’s justice must accept our call to pull that rope. I do believe God’s justice will eventually prevail. I also believe God is calling us to make that sooner than later.

Yet, the Body of Christ itself is fractured in our understanding of what God’s justice really is. I fear all of its members are sometimes being pulled into worshipping at the foot of the idol of being right rather than our true calling of being just. There are a few glimmers of hope. We seem to find common ground on feeding the hungry; ending sex trafficking, particularly of children; practicing restorative justice; keeping people healthy; and welcoming the stranger, especially migrants. These were certainly Jesus’ priorities. Perhaps we would be more productive, if we focused on those areas of agreement and practiced the ancient art of letting the land lay fallow for a while on those hot button issues that divide us. Land that is overused loses all its nutrients, allowing it to rest under God’s gracious sun and rain, returns it to a place that can grow good fruit.

Prayer: Lord, unite us in your service of justice while we await your nurturing love and guidance on those issues that divide us. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.