Our God is very near

I'm sure you've had this kind of experience: a person you've heard on the radio for years makes an appearance on television. "But he doesn't sound like that! I thought he was younger and taller..." Or someone whose books you have enjoyed makes a personal appearance - and you can't believe the woman in the wheelchair is your beloved author.

We often have a mental picture of someone we know about, but do not really know. So it was with the Jews of Jesus' time. Fresh from his time in the desert and filled with the power of the Spirit, Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day as he regularly did. When he stood up to read the lesson, he opened the scroll and found the passage which says,

"The spirit of the Lord is upon me
because he has anointed me;
he has sent me to announce the good news to the poor,
to proclaim release for prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind..."

"Today," he said, "in your hearing this text has come true."

At first there was general approval, but as Jesus continued to speak his hearers recognized that he was calling himself a prophet - or even the Messiah! But this man cannot be a prophet - is he not Joseph's son?

Our God is very near - but not always in the way we expect. At every Eucharistic celebration the priest holds the host high and says, "This is the Lamb of God" and "Happy are those who come to his supper." We believe, we come, and we share in the Eucharistic banquet.

"The Body of Christ!" "Amen!"

Mary Buckley CSJ