Holy Thursday - Chrism Mass + Mass Readings + Gospel Reflections [April 6, 2023]

Lectionary: 260

Reading I

Is 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

            because the LORD has anointed me;

He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly,

            to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

            and release to the prisoners,

To announce a year of favor from the LORD

            and a day of vindication by our God,

            to comfort all who mourn;

To place on those who mourn in Zion

            a diadem instead of ashes,

To give them oil of gladness in place of mourning,

            a glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit.

You yourselves shall be named priests of the LORD,

            ministers of our God shall you be called.

I will give them their recompense faithfully,

            a lasting covenant I will make with them.

Their descendants shall be renowned among the nations,

            and their offspring among the peoples;

All who see them shall acknowledge them

            as a race the LORD has blessed.

Responsorial Psalm

89:21-22, 25 and 27

R.        (2)  For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have found David, my servant;

            with my holy oil I have anointed him.

That my hand may always be with him;

            and that my arm may make him strong.”

R.        For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him;

            and through my name shall his horn be exalted.

He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,

            my God, the Rock, my savior!’ “

R.        For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Reading II

Rv 1:5-8

[Grace to you and peace] from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,

the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his Blood,

who has made us into a Kingdom, priests for his God and Father,

to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,

            and every eye will see him,

            even those who pierced him.

All the peoples of the earth will lament him.

            Yes. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God,

“the one who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Verse Before the Gospel

Is 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me;

for he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.

Gospel

Lk 4:16-21

Jesus 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.”

Gospel Reflection

Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth and enters the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He reads from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and proclaims, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

This passage presents a clear message to all of us as Christians. We are called to proclaim the good news to those who are in need. We are to be a voice for the voiceless, to set the captives free, and to bring hope to those who feel oppressed. Our mission is to extend the love and mercy of God to all who need it, regardless of who they are.

Moreover, Jesus’ proclamation of the year of the Lord's favor is an invitation for all of us to live out our faith in a deeper and more meaningful way. We are called to actively work towards a world that is free from poverty, oppression, and injustice. This means being compassionate, kind, and forgiving to all those around us, even as we seek justice and mercy.

As Catholics, our faith calls us to be a light in the world, bringing hope and healing to those who need it most. Let us take inspiration from Christ's own mission, and joyfully proclaim the good news to all who will hear it, as we work together to build a just and merciful world that reflects the loving kindness of God.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before you today with grateful hearts, giving thanks for the life, ministry, and teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are humbled by the power of your Word, and today we reflect on Luke 4:16-21, where Jesus reads from the words of the Prophet Isaiah and declares that he is the fulfillment of those words.

Lord, we ask that you open our hearts and minds to receive the same message that Jesus proclaimed to his people so long ago. Help us to recognize that, just like those who heard Jesus speak, we too are in need of the Redeemer that he promised.

Grant us the strength to carry out your teachings and to spread your love to all we encounter. May we never forget the importance of loving our neighbor, forgiving those who hurt us, and seeking peace at all times.

Lord, we ask for your continued guidance and support as we strive to walk in the footsteps of your Son. We pray that you bless us with the patience and understanding to persevere through the challenges we face, and the courage to be a beacon of light in a world that often falls into darkness.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.