Good News Reflection FOR NEXT SUNDAY: January 24, 2010

Good News Reflection
FOR NEXT SUNDAY: January 24, 2010
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/January/3rdC.htm - Preview a sample

Next Sunday's Readings:
Neh 8:2-6, 8-10
Ps 19:8-10, 15
1 Cor 12:4-11
Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21
http://www.usccb.org/nab/012410.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_01_24.mp3

In next Sunday's Gospel reading, we see Jesus announcing the reality of his ministry: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.... Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

Did this ministry come to an end when he ascended to heaven and disappeared off the face of the earth?

As the reading from Corinthians points out, we are now the Body of Christ on earth.

We are all important parts of this body! Do not underestimate your own part in this. God created you and brought you into the Church because you can make a significant difference. No one else can do what you can do, the way you can do it, in the plans that he has for making this world a better place.

We Christians are, as a community of believers, the Body of Christ on earth. Every time we receive the Body of Christ in Holy Communion, we receive what we are, and thus we're renewed in the continuation of Christ's ministry. His mission is our mission.

By receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, we consume not only Jesus in his full humanity and his full divinity, we also consume his ministry. The Spirit of the Lord comes upon us. Every Mass is a renewal of our vocation to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim what is acceptable to the Lord.

In other words, every time we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, the scripture passage that he quoted in Luke 4:18-21 is fulfilled again.

Sin is anything that prevents this from happening.

Whenever the prayers of others are not answered, whenever evil is allowed to prevail, whenever souls suffer because they have not heard the good news of salvation in Jesus, it's because the parts of Christ's earthly body that can do something about it are not doing it. God provides everything that's needed on earth THROUGH US! Jesus continues his ministry on earth THROUGH US!

Questions for Personal Reflection:
How does it feel to know that you're called to continue Christ's ministry? Reflect on how important you are to the Body of Christ and his mission. What are you good at? What do you feel passionate about? What particular evils disturb you most? This is where you are important and can make a difference!

Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Name ways that ordinary people can bring good news to the poor, or free captives, or help the blind see, or set the oppressed free, or proclaim what is acceptable to the Lord. What are your experiences doing this?

STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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