Everyone is created with their own unique gifts.
Fr. Steve asks, "Do we hunger for the word of God?"
In today's Gospel, Jesus visits the synagogue, as was his custom. He reads from Isaiah chapter 61. It is his mission statement:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
All of us are poor in one way or another: poor in affection, a poverty of talents or friendships. We are also all captive in various ways through sin, or through relying on false comforts: drink, drugs, pornography, rage, control, food. He brings recovery of sight to the blind and to free the oppressed - that's us, in so many ways. He has come to bring us freedom to be who we really are in Christ.
Do we really believe that he loves you personally, or do you think that is for other people? Perhaps we fear that God will tell us what we don't want to hear, that he merely tolerates us, or that he doesn't notice us. We may believe that no one wants you. God does. You are his beloved. People will disappoint us through jealousy, resentment, inconsistency. God never disappoints.
Envy, rivalry, and comparison are from the evil one. Each one of us is precious in the Father's eyes and he wanted to bring us into being out of love, each with our unique gifts. Envy tells us we are less than others, that, in us, God has created inferior goods.
Let us recognize who we are, what gifts we have and being aware of our true value and identity give thanks for ourselves and the gift of others.
