Let us embark on a Lectio Divina, guided by Fr Anthony Mellor, reflecting on Luke 4:16-22 (RNJB). This ancient practice of praying with Scripture allows us to let the Word of God seep into our heart and speak to us afresh and anew. As we pray, may His gracious words transform our hearts. 🙏
Transcript
Hello, I’m Fr Anthony Mellor, the Dean of St Stephen’s Cathedral. Thank you for joining us today to pray with us. This is a Lectio Divina style of prayer based in Scripture where we let the Word of God speak to us in a meditative fashion. I’ll read a passage of Scripture slowly, pose a question, then read it again, and consider the Scripture again from a different perspective. It’s an opportunity for you to let the Word of God to seep into your heart and in the quiet of our heart allow the Word of God to speak to us afresh and anew. This reading comes from the Gospel of Luke.
Jesus came to Nazara, where He had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath, as was His custom. He stood up to read and was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, He found the place where it is written: The spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim a year of the Lord’s favour. He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Then He began to speak to them. Today this text is being fulfilled in your hearing. And all bear witness to Him, and were astonished by the words of grace that came from His lips.
Reflect in silence.
Let us imagine Jesus going into Nazara, Nazareth, the place where He had been brought up. Going into the local synagogue, as was His custom. We can imagine Jesus going into this synagogue. Who does He see? Can you imagine the scene? His family, His friends, those who know Him well, greeting Him.
Reflect in silence.
I’ll read the passage again as we allow this Word of God to seep into our hearts.
Jesus came to Nazara, where He had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath, as was His custom. He stood up to read and He was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, He found the place where it is written: The spirit of the Lord is upon me. For He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim a year of the Lord’s favour. He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Then He began to speak to them. Today this text is being fulfilled in your hearing. And all bear witness to Him, and were astonished by the words of grace that came from His lips.
Reflect in silence.
Pope Francis has called 2025 a Holy Year. Where we look to this as a year of the Lord’s favour, for the spirit of the Lord might be upon us to proclaim release to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free. Jesus is proclaiming a time of Jubilee. He says this text is being fulfilled even in our hearing. How is it that we are seeing the good news being lived out in our world? How is liberty being proclaimed to the captives? How is sight to the blind and freedom to the oppressed being lived out in our world?
Reflect in silence.
How might you live this year as a proclamation of the Lord’s year of favour? How might we participate in God’s Jubilee amongst us?
Reflect in silence.
As we draw together our time of reflection. We pray that God’s Word may take hold in our flesh and our world. Inspire our minds, to enlighten our hearts and to give strength to our life and our faith. As God leads us on this year of the Lord’s favour. Thank you for joining us, and we hope that you will join us again soon. God bless.