The Gospel passage is the combination of two passages from the Lucanian Gospel juxtaposed: the prologue to the entire work and the story of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry which takes place in Nazareth where he grew up. Two things seem to be close to the heart of the evangelist: that the best of historical data be available to welcome revelation into history and the underlining of how there are more beginnings in the life of Jesus. In a word, it could be said that the mission of the Lord Jesus is to be the joy of those who have no joy! For this reason the Lord Jesus, as he will do even on Easter evening, does not stop – like Nehemiah – to read and interpret the Scriptures because the joy of the Lord is your strength. The Lord presents himself with a clear identity and a rigorous mission which require a reaction that can be one of acceptance or of troubled rejection. The apostle reminds us of the task of each one of knowing and recognizing one’s place within and at the service of the one ecclesial body: not all of us are called to serve in the same way. Ambrose of Milan lets himself go to exultation: . To follow Ambrose’s thought on the necessary coexistence of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, we could dare to say that the important thing is to drink the mystery of Christ knowing how to find, recognize and welcome it in any page of our humanity and our history.

Commentary by b. Michael David, osb Community of the Koinonia de la Visitation

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves, Prinknash Abbey