I wanted to share a passage from the Gospel of Luke that I've been meditating on for a few days. Its so profound to me. I can almost imagine myself watching our Good Lord reveal himself to these people. How I wish I could be there to see him; how I wish I could be there to nourish and support him. But God is infinitely better than me- for he comes to me by his Presence and actually strengthen's me.

...Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam...

Okay here's the verse's. Our Lord had just been tempted by the evil serpent. He goes to the ѕуηαgσgυє and is being tested by the Jєωs. They give him a scroll of Isaiah- since its full of difficult prophesies that are hard to explain. He reads through the prophesies and... well you read these beautiful words. I will attach the Haydock commentary at the end.


ST. LUKE - Chapter 4

16 *And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up, and he went into the ѕуηαgσgυє, according to his custom, on the sabbath day; and he rose up to read.

17 And the book of Isaias, the prophet, was delivered unto him. And as he unfolded the book, he found the place where it was written:

18 *The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: wherefore he hath anointed me, to preach the gospel to the poor he hath sent me, to heal the contrite of heart,

19 To preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of reward.

20 And when he had folded the book, he restored it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the ѕуηαgσgυє were fixed on him.

21 And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this Scripture in your ears.[/size]

22 And all gave testimony to him: and they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth, and they said: Is not this the son of Joseph?

23 And he said to them: Doubtless you will say to me this similitude: Physician, heal thyself: as great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in thy own country.

24 And he said: Amen, I say to you, that no prophet is accepted in his own country.

25 In truth I say to you, *there were many widows in the days of Elias, in Israel, when heaven was shut up three years and six months: when there was a great famine throughout all the land:

26 And to none of them was Elias sent, but to a widow at Sarepta of Sidon.

27 *And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Eliseus, the prophet: and none of them was cleansed but Naaman, the Syrian.

28 And all they in the ѕуηαgσgυє, hearing these things, were filled with anger.

29 And they rose up, and thrust him out of the city: and they brought him to the brow of the hill, whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

30 But he passing through the midst of them, went his way.

Haydock's Commentary:
Ver. 17. As he unfolded the book: and again, (ver. 20) when he had folded the book. Books at that time where not like our now-a-days, but were skins or parchments, rolled or folded up. (Witham) --- Some are of opinion that the Jєωs of Nazareth, having heard of the miracles and fame of Jesus, and that he was accustomed to teach in the ѕуηαgσgυєs, though he had never been instructed in any learning, when he rose to speak, purposely gave him the book of Isaias, which was esteemed the most difficult to be explained, in order to try his learning; though it is probable that it was done by the all-directing interposition of Divine Providence. (Maldonatus)

Ver. 18. By the poor are to be understood the Gentiles; who might truly be called poor, since they possessed neither the knowledge of the true God, nor of the law, nor of the prophets. (Origen) --- Isaias in this place speaks of himself, as a figure of the Messias. The captivity of Babylon, which is the literal object of this prophecy, was a figure of the then state of mankind; the return from this captivity announced by the prophet, and effected by Cyrus, represented the redemption of man, effected by Jesus Christ. (Bible de Vence)

Ver. 19. To set at liberty them that are bruised, or oppressed. These words are not in the prophet; but are added by St. Luke, to explain the others. --- To preach the acceptable year, as it were the jubilee year, when slaves used to be set at liberty. (Witham)

Ver. 20. To observe and admire a person that had never learned letters, and who stood up amongst them an experienced teacher. (Menochius) See John vii. 15. and Maldonatus.

Ver. 21. By this Christ wished to shew that he was the Messias foretold by the prophet Isaias, whom they so anxiously expected: he declares himself to be the person pointed out by the prophet. There seems also to be a secret reprehension in these words of Christ; as if he were to say: Why are you so desirous to behold the Messias, whom, when he is before your eyes, you will not receive? Why do you seek him in the prophets, when you neither understand the prophets, nor perceive the truth of their predictions, when they are fulfilled before you eyes? (Maldonatus)

Ver. 23. I see you will object to me this similitude, (parabolen) or trite saying, applied to such as attended to the concerns of others, and neglected their own. (Menochius)

Ver. 30. Passing through the midst of them, went his way. Perhaps by making himself on a sudden invisible, or by striking them with blindness, or by changing their minds, and hearts, as he pleased. (Witham) --- All commentators observe on these words, that the evangelist wished to shew that Christ worked a miracle on this occasion, and by it proved his divinity. This is the opinion of Sts. Euthymius, Ambrose, and Thomas Aquinas. St. Ambrose says, we must observe that Christ did not suffer from necessity, but because he wished it. He was not taken by the Jєωs, but delivered up himself; at his own pleasure he is seized, and at his own pleasure he escapes; when he wills it, he is condemned; and when he wills it, he is freed. The most common opinion is, that he rendered himself invisible on this occasion; though others imagine that he changed their wills, or withheld their hands. (Maldonatus) --- When we observe the outrageous treatment Jesus Christ met with from the people of Nazareth, we are not surprised that he should shut up the fountain of his beneficence against them for their incredulity, and return to Capharnaum. (Haydock)