Tuesday of the Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary Time

Lectio

    Luke 4:31–37

Meditatio

“… they were astonished at his teaching.…”

    Luke’s Gospel begins with narratives about God sending messages to people and their response. God sends the Angel Gabriel first to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist, and then to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus. In each case the birth would be miraculous. Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife, was past childbearing age, and Mary would conceive as a virgin. The doubtful Zechariah demanded proof: “How shall I know this?” (Lk 1:18). The believing Mary asked for information: “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” (Lk 1:34). Zechariah was punished for not believing the angel’s word. Mary, instead, was told that she would be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and the child to be born would be the Son of God. Then she declared herself God’s servant and gave herself over completely to all that God had planned.

    Throughout Luke and Acts we see this theme repeatedly: the divine announcement or teaching, and the human response. The angels call poor shepherds to come see the newborn Jesus and then to tell others about it. Simeon and Anna follow inspiration and come to the temple when Mary and Joseph bring Jesus there. Simeon tells Mary that Jesus would be the cause for the rise and the downfall of many in Israel—depending on their response. Luke presents Mary as the model of all who hear God’s word: she ponders everything in her heart and she follows the path marked out before her. In today’s Gospel we witness the first healing after Jesus began his public ministry. The listeners are “astonished.” After the healing they are “amazed.” Since news of him spread everywhere, we can assume the people talked to their neighbors about what they had witnessed. To move from simply being amazed—informed, entertained, intrigued, curious, interested—to being a completely dedicated servant of the Lord, we must pass over a bridge. That bridge is “pondering in one’s heart.”

Oratio

    Mary, teach me to ponder. I have so little time and so much to do. Did you have a lot of time to think and meditate and pray? As a new mother, probably not. Teach me how to ponder as I go and to learn from everything. Make me sensitive to God’s voice and obedient to his will.

Contemplatio

    O God, my God, I open myself to your word.

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ORDINARY GRACE Weeks 18–34: Daily Gospel Reflections (By the Daughters of St. Paul)