Thursday, October 17, 2024

Gospel Reflection: Whose image?

The Rev. Rob Stevens

Luke 4:14-21

Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

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.”

There is a saying that goes, “God created us in God’s image…and we have been returning the favor ever since.” Ouch…but so true. God’s mission through Jesus was and always is about love, mercy, and justice. Yet so often Jesus has been co-opted by the strong and powerful to support their agenda. And if you think that I’m talking about current realities, I am…AND this has been going on for more than a millennium. Since the time of Constantine.

“He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

The verses above are a good reminder for me of what is of God. When the meek are lifted up, when the poor are honored, when the strong value the weak and kindness is seen as a gift and strength and not as weakness…that is God’s mission extended to all of us through Jesus

When the strong batter the weak and kindness is seen as a silly practice for the ignorant…that is when we are recreating God in our image, and it is quite frankly idolatry and dangerous.

The Good News today for me is that God’s mission is not for a select few, but for the entirety of Creation. ALL means ALL and that indeed is Good News.