Coffee With God

REFLECTION: Luke 4:31-37

By the time Luke wrote his Gospel, the concern of Luke’s community was no longer to convert Israel but to live faithfully as disciples of Jesus in a Roman world that was largely hostile to them. From his narration of the incident at Nazareth where Jesus was rejected by his own people, Luke attempts to remind his community about their responsibility to carry out the mission of Jesus- to proclaim the merciful and liberating love of God – not only to the Jews but to all the people. Jesus had moved to Capernaum, which became his base from where Jesus did much of his missionary work. Unlike in Nazareth, in Capernaum people were receptive and open to the message of mercy and liberation. As it happened in Nazareth, on a Sabbath, Jesus teaches in the Synagogue in Capernaum. While in his hometown, Jesus gladly announced the fulfilment of the prophesy of Isaiah, but the people preferred to remain in their old ways. The liberation and new life announced in Nazareth is being actualized in Capernaum. The healing of the man possessed with an unclean demon in the synagogue is also a representation of driving out the evil powers from the community. The possessed man recognizes the identity of Jesus and begins to shout – “You are the Holy one of God.” Appreciation and recognition are indeed a matter of joy, but Jesus would not even allow the evil powers to speak. The devil knows how to seduce the weak and if it is allowed to continue to speak, its honey-coated words could easily entice the people of God. Luke gives an important lesson to his community in their mission: do not entertain the arguments of the devil. Shut them up before they could persuade you to their side. This is a great lesson for us today as well. Be cautious when we crave for appreciation and recognition from the world. It could be a deception of the devil. Luke introduces the weapon to fight the powers of the devil – “The Word of God.” The people of the Synagogue were amazed and they say to one another: “What is there about his Word? He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power, and they leave people.” And this continues to be the source of life and strength for the Community of believers – Jesus – the Word of God.