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Gospel Reflection for Monday, January 27, 2025
The scribes and Pharisees were alarmed by Jesus’ actions. What was happening with this new prophet who had such a magnetic effect on the people? Their reaction of alarm intensified because of what Jesus was doing and saying. They were convinced they were the sole custodians of absolute truth, a truth that could never be questioned.
What did the scribes do? They tried to counteract the perceived “evil” coming from Jesus by attributing His healings to the power of the prince of demons.
The scribes refused to recognize the newness of the Spirit, who was working in ways outside the established norms they had “officially” sanctioned. Since Jesus didn’t conform to their rules, they concluded that the Spirit wasn’t at work in Him but only operated within their predefined paths. They closed themselves off to surprise, placing limits on the Spirit’s actions. Do we fall into that same temptation?
The sin against the Spirit lies in failing to recognize God’s work wherever it manifests. The temple authorities remained blind, refusing to embrace any newness from the Spirit and discrediting Jesus in the process.
The Jubilee Year we’ve begun is an invitation to walk in hope, to stay attentive, to listen to the Word, and to perceive God’s action in history: “On that day the deaf will hear the words of a book, and freed from darkness, the eyes of the blind will see” (Isaiah 29:18).
What do I hope for in this Jubilee Year? Do we Christians have a “vision of hope” for this world? Or has Christianity blended so seamlessly with our society that we share its ambiguities and contradictions, leaving us with no message of hope to offer our contemporaries?
With gratitude,