Aug 26, 2025 Written by 

Leaving the place of worship

Power of the Word

(Lk 4:38-44)

 

«To the other cities, too, I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, for I was sent for this» (Lk 4:43).

 

Leaving the place of worship, authentic disciples put themselves at the service of life, recovering people.

They want to put them back on their feet not out of almsgiving paternalism, but with dignity and respecting their inclinations; thus they become eager to transmit joy to others.

It’s the new experience that we are called to offer also to women and men of cultural backgrounds and mentality different from ours.

Peter’s mother-in-law is probably the emblem of a community coordinator - of the House of Peter [perhaps drawn from an ancient heritage of customs] - who, thanks to the decisive Meeting, experienced healing and full rebirth, even at the service of others.

 

In Semitic culture, at sunset and with the rise of the first star in the sky, a new day is born: here there is a new Creation.

Marginalised humanity is regenerated - first forced only to lower itself, inert - and resumes raising its head, and doing well.

All those considered impure, unworthy and inadequate, who didn’t know who to resort to and at the mercy of public benevolence, are now touched by God. 

He doesn't stop in the face of the hopes of redemption of the weightlesses.

A touch, that of the Lord and of those in the Church (or outside) who brings it - that absorbs the supposed unworthiness and shortcomings.

A caress that makes feel welcomed and adequate, and reintegrates into social coexistence even people considered repellent.

 

In the course of a first approach to the Way in the Spirit it may happen that the Son of God [who resembles God] is confused with «the» Christ (v.41) expected: «that» Messiah that everyone knew; glorious avenger, who would bring victory, health, immediate opulence.

The leader who would skillfully put things right with peremptory acts of force - and subdued the peoples, suddenly guaranteeing to the elect lineage an easy golden age at the expense of others.

Not bad: it would be one to be held without doubt (v.42). In the Master, instead, insistence on the Proclamation task prevails, without which stereotyped ideas become fixed, humiliating the life.

God cares for everyone, even those who are far away and unrelated to the Home interests - He is not someone that we can be taken possession of.

Personally caring for the brothers is tiring; and constantly moving beyond the borders of one’s own partnership or environment, too.

But this reveals the wonderful presence of the Friend: situations are created, and everyone discovers unexpressed Pearls that recreate the existence of the world.

Instead, when we think and stop at the results at hand, and do not keep alive the sense of Evangelization, reality becomes swampy; the Spirit is not unleashe - we choose the limit, and everything is dragged into indolence.

One would be satisfied (flattering) with great normalized and confined gestures: lights, exaltations, reassuring formulas... but there would no longer be a new grain that could be born every day.

 

 

To internalize and live the message:

 

Do you feel eclipsed in the Announcement and in the itinerance, or vice versa enhanced?

What gives you strength and puts you back on your feet, or seduces, bewitches, and blocks you?

 

 

[Wednesday 22th wk. in O.T.  September 3, 2025]

268 Last modified on Wednesday, 03 September 2025 12:00
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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Avendo davanti agli occhi l'immagine della generazione a cui apparteniamo, la Chiesa condivide l'inquietudine di tanti uomini contemporanei (Dives in Misericordia n.12)
Addressing this state of mind, the Church testifies to her hope, based on the conviction that evil, the mysterium iniquitatis, does not have the final word in human affairs (Pope John Paul II)
Di fronte a questi stati d'animo la Chiesa desidera testimoniare la sua speranza, basata sulla convinzione che il male, il mysterium iniquitatis, non ha l'ultima parola nelle vicende umane (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
Jesus reminds us today that the expectation of the eternal beatitude does not relieve us of the duty to render the world more just and more liveable (Pope Francis)
Gesù oggi ci ricorda che l’attesa della beatitudine eterna non ci dispensa dall’impegno di rendere più giusto e più abitabile il mondo (Papa Francesco)
Those who open to Him will be blessed, because they will have a great reward: indeed, the Lord will make himself a servant to his servants — it is a beautiful reward — in the great banquet of his Kingdom He himself will serve them [Pope Francis]
E sarà beato chi gli aprirà, perché avrà una grande ricompensa: infatti il Signore stesso si farà servo dei suoi servi - è una bella ricompensa - nel grande banchetto del suo Regno passerà Lui stesso a servirli [Papa Francesco]
At first sight, this might seem a message not particularly relevant, unrealistic, not very incisive with regard to a social reality with so many problems […] (Pope John Paul II)
A prima vista, questo potrebbe sembrare un messaggio non molto pertinente, non realistico, poco incisivo rispetto ad una realtà sociale con tanti problemi […] (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
At first sight, this might seem a message not particularly relevant, unrealistic, not very incisive with regard to a social reality with so many problems […] (Pope John Paul II)
A prima vista, questo potrebbe sembrare un messaggio non molto pertinente, non realistico, poco incisivo rispetto ad una realtà sociale con tanti problemi […] (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
There is work for all in God's field (Pope Benedict)
C'è lavoro per tutti nel campo di Dio (Papa Benedetto)
The great thinker Romano Guardini wrote that the Lord “is always close, being at the root of our being. Yet we must experience our relationship with God between the poles of distance and closeness. By closeness we are strengthened, by distance we are put to the test” (Pope Benedict)
Il grande pensatore Romano Guardini scrive che il Signore “è sempre vicino, essendo alla radice del nostro essere. Tuttavia, dobbiamo sperimentare il nostro rapporto con Dio tra i poli della lontananza e della vicinanza. Dalla vicinanza siamo fortificati, dalla lontananza messi alla prova” (Papa Benedetto)
The present-day mentality, more perhaps than that of people in the past, seems opposed to a God of mercy, and in fact tends to exclude from life and to remove from the human heart the very idea of mercy (Pope John Paul II)
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«Religion of appearance» or «road of humility»? (Pope Francis)
«Religione dell’apparire» o «strada dell’umiltà»? (Papa Francesco)

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