EXPLORE THE SUNDAY GOSPEL
The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry & The Rejection at Nazareth
Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
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.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
MEET OUR EXTENDED FAMILY
St. Timothy (Feast Day January 26)
c. 17-97
Timothy is one of the first generations of Christians in the New Testament. He was a disciple of St. Paul around the year 47 and eventually joined in his apostolic work. He was with St. Paul when the Church in Corinth was founded. St. Paul installed him as his representative and leader of the Church of Ephesus at a young age.
He worked with St. Paul for 15 years, becoming one of his most trusted and faithful friends. He was sent on difficult missions---often to help the local churches founded by St. Paul. Timothy was with St. Paul during his house arrest in Rome. At some point, Timothy was probably in prison, too.
Even though Timothy was young and struggled with a timid and reserved nature, St. Paul wrote to Timothy that youthfulness should not be an excuse for ineffectiveness: "Let no one have contempt for your youth but set an example for those who believe in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity...do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred upon you by the imposition of hands of the [priesthood]. Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident by everyone" (1 Timothy 4:12,14-15).
TAKE TIME TO CHAT
Luke begins his Gospel by saying that he "investigated everything accurately anew" so that his readers would realize the "certainty" of his teaching. Why do you think it was important to begin the Gospel this way?
Jesus returns to Galilee after his baptism. Galilee is about 70 miles away from where John baptized Jesus. With no TV, Internet, or cell phones, how do you think the news of Jesus spread throughout the region? What do you think people were saying about Jesus?
Re-read the prophecy from Isaiah in today's Gospel. This prophecy describes Jesus. Describe Jesus in your own words.
What does the quote from 1 Timothy 4:12,14-15 mean to you?
FAMILY FUN
Blindfold Taste Test
The Gospel today references a few of our senses. This activity will help you appreciate the gift of sight and some of your other senses!
Place food items into paper cups. You can either have several cups for each person or have them share cups. Don't let the players see you preparing the cups or see what is inside. Blindfold each player, and have each player try the foods in the same order, one at a time. After they try each food, they must guess what it is. You can either continue passing the food around until someone guesses or have the players guess individually, making the person who guesses the most correctly the winner.
Young kids should have safe foods like Jello, bananas, chocolate, raisins, apples, or ice cream. You may consider incorporating less palatable foods if the kids are slightly older. These foods will give the players quite a shock and lead to some very funny moments!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Kale Salad
You can continue the Family Fun by having everyone name what they taste when you share this recipe.
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup vinegar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 plastic carton baby kale, stems removed and chopped
16 oz. package frozen shelled edamame, thawed
¼ red onion
1 cup shredded carrot
2/3 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup cashew pieces
½ cup shelled, roasted sunflower seeds
Whisk sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil together in a bowl until sugar is dissolved; set aside. Toss kale, edamame, red onion, carrot, blueberries, cranberries, cashew pieces, and sunflower seeds together in a bowl. Pour about a third the dressing over the mixture and toss to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours. Serve remaining dressing on the side.
FAMILY PRAYER
Lectio Divina
On this Sunday of the Word of God, spend some time reflecting on this Scripture. Jesus is known as the Word of God.
Lectio Divina (Latin: "divine reading") is a way of developing a closer relationship with God by reflecting prayerfully on his words in Sacred Scripture. In Lectio Divina, the chosen passage is read three times in total, giving an opportunity to think deeply about it and respond thoughtfully.
Choose a reader for the passage below. After each reading, allow for a minute or two of silence to let the words sink in. Listen for any words or phrases that seem to jump out. After the third reading, pray about what God calls you to focus on today. Family members are invited to share their experiences afterward. This formula can be used for any Scripture passage.
Prologue
Jn 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
LITURGY LINK
Right after he finishes reading the Gospel, what does the priest or deacon do to the Book of Gospels?
FAMILY CHALLENGE
Read and reflect on Scripture for 5 minutes every day this week.
FUN FACTS
Pope Francis declared the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time as Sunday of the Word of God in 2019. This day is a reminder to read the Bible regularly and to put God's Word at the center of our lives.
