With Opened Bible
Today
"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."(Luke 4:21)
In the Gospel of this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Saint Luke paints a breathtaking picture of the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. This page of scripture takes us back to the profound words of Mathew at the baptism of Jesus: "Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." (Matthew 3:15). Jesus, the embodiment of divine fulfillment, is the one who brings to life the prophecies of the Old Testament. And this is what he does today in the synagogue of Nazareth: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:21).
The Last Word of the Father, Jesus becomes, in the eyes of all, the awe-inspiring image of God's plans for humanity. The word "today" is not just a mere moment in the Gospel of Saint Luke. It is a beacon of hope, a sign of the tme fxed by God to accomplish his grand plans of salvaton. In Saint Luke, today brings to the present moment what the human heart eagerly anticipates at the end of time: God's salvation. Also, we find several passages where "today" is not just a word, but a significant part of the biblical narrative, a thread that connects us to the events of the past.
1- "For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord." (Luke 2:11)
2- "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:21)
3- "We have seen incredible things today." (Luke 5:26)
4- "Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day." (Luke 13:33)
5- "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham." (Luke 19:9)
6- "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43)
These examples, among others, express the importance of God's timing and his salvation. These texts testify to the truth of His Word, which saves and heals. It is here and now that he wants us to enter his peace. David, the Prophet-King: "Oh, that today you would hear his voice: Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the desert." (Psalm 95:7-8)
