Isaiah 61:1-4

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations" (Isaiah 61:1-4 RSV).

Comment:

This beautiful passage is best known to Christians as the words with which Jesus begins his ministry according to the Gospel of Luke (4:16-20). He returns from his time in the wilderness, goes to his home synagogue in Nazareth, opens the scroll, and reads this passage. Since the point of his wilderness experience was to become centered in his own spiritual purpose, it would seem clear that in brushing aside the temptations to use his newly-realized spiritual powers for his own benefit, he is using Isaiah to set forth, not only his own purpose, but the essence of every realization of the Christ, in each of us. He is not here to do—Jesus does not say he will open the prisons, for example. He is here to preach that it is already so. It is by awakening individuals to their own innate Christ Power that Jesus will bring about the transformation of the world. It is good for us, as well, to recognize that we are not necessarily here to do. We are here to be, to know, to teach, and to share. The 'good tidings' are that all shadow energies are merely painful illusions. The Truth of God's presence and love already exists—we have only to claim it to bring it forth.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed