“The Lord sent me to bring glad tiding to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives.”
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Our Gospel acclamation reminds us of two very important realities of being a disciple of the Lord: that we are sent and we are to proclaim.
“We are sent”
The Lord sends us to share the beauty of the gospel to those in most need. The acclamation uses the word “poor”, but who are the “poor”? As disciples we are always attentive to the physically and culturally poor. Both parishes support these brothers and sisters in offering support through the St. Vincent de Paul Society and St. Augustine collection, and offers nourishment through the community meals program. But could the “poor” be our neighbor or even someone in our own household? It’s very possible to not be culturally poor, but to be spiritually poor. The acclamation mentions glad tidings. If there is someone poor in spirit close to you, how do you extend the glad tidings of your relationship with Jesus to them? Are we people of hope, joy, and compassion? Yes, we are, and this takes work. But if we work at this expression of discipleship, perhaps we will be graced to see growth in the spiritually poor.
“Proclaim”
Proclaiming is essential to the witness of the gospel. As a disciple we are sent to proclaim the good news! For each of us this witness is different but essential in bringing hope to those that may be “captive”. Many people are trapped by a variety of captors, from unhealthy habits to modern technologies. However, our different expressions of kindness and hope can help an unexpecting person realize that they can be supported through their challenges. Proclaiming means witnessing to what we are proclaiming. Let us be people of hope and demonstrators of kindness so that others know that no matter their challenge, they are not alone.
May we always proclaim the good news to the captives.
Thank you!
Fr. Workman