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Commentary on the Gospel for Sunday, January 26, 2025
The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me
Dear brothers and sisters, peace and blessings to you.
The hunger for the Word of God among the faithful has not diminished, nor has humanity’s yearning for transcendence. It is this longing for the One who is completely Other—the One who transcends all that we are—that explains the institution of this day. For when we embrace the Word, its recreative power restores our bond with God, a connection that may have been weakened by many reasons, including our own lack of faith or the scandal caused by the actions of others.
The Pope envisions this Sunday of the Word as a day for celebrating, reflecting on, and sharing the Word of God. Dedicating a specific day to the Word within the liturgical year helps the Church experience anew how the Risen Lord opens the treasure of His Word and empowers her to proclaim its unfathomable riches to the world. Today’s readings invite us all to reflect on and revisit our personal relationship with the Word of God.
“Do not be sad or weep.” The practice of gathering, listening to, and meditating on the Word of God goes back centuries. In today’s reading, we hear how the people, who had been unfamiliar with the law for years, wept upon discovering it, realizing how far they had strayed from the path God had set for them. Suddenly, they became aware of all they had been missing. But the prophet’s response was clear: “Do not be sad, for rejoicing in the Lord is your strength.” What matters is how they responded to the invitation to a new way of life—one that restored their identity as God’s chosen people. They felt this deeply, even through years of exile, wandering in the desert, and eventually arriving in the Promised Land.
As we reflect on this scene, we might ask ourselves: How do we experience our celebrations? Is the Lord’s Day—Sunday—a true celebration? Do we feel that the Lord continues to speak, guide, and accompany us through His Word? This should be the source of our joy. Or do we attend Mass reluctantly, thinking of other things and constantly checking the time?
St. Paul continues reflecting on charisms, which he touched on last week in speaking of their diversity. Today, he emphasizes their importance. The gifts God bestows on His Church are complementary and necessary. On the path of synodality, each person can find their place. While some ministries, such as proclaiming the Word, are more prominent due to their role in helping the world believe, every individual deserves the same respect, rooted in the dignity of being a child of God.
The Church of Jesus is not like the assemblies of ancient Greece, where only men could participate. Our Church is far richer, giving women and children an important place. Just think of the young shepherds of Fatima or Bernadette of Lourdes. Their experiences have inspired significant centers of spirituality. Imagine how much we could achieve if everyone put their gifts at the service of others. Charisms are meant for serving others, not for showing off.
Finally, the Gospel reminds us why Jesus came into the world: “to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” The idea of a jubilee year isn’t new; it’s been around for a long time.
Jesus came to bring us His Good News: to restore our freedom, our vision, and our reconciliation with God. Faith in Christ allows us to see life and its events with new eyes—to view people and life’s circumstances differently. To hear, to see, to be free, to feel at peace with God and our brothers and sisters within the Church—these are elements that should always be present in the life of every believer in Jesus.
The Spirit of God, which rested upon Jesus, also descends upon each of us when we open ourselves to Him. The message is clear: we must live it. Let us reignite our hunger to hear the Word of God, which empowers us to experience this liberation. May the Word be a source of light and comfort in our lives.
Your brother in faith,