GOD’S GOOD LOOKS BAD

“He has sent Me to bring good news to the poor.” –Luke 4:18, our transl.

Mass Readings: September 4
First: Genesis 2:4-9,15 ;Resp: Psalm 90:2-5,12-14,16; Gospel: Matthew 6:31-34

Listen to the Mass Readings

Jesus declared that His mission was to proclaim the Good News of freedom to the poor. He said He was carrying out this mission at that very moment (Lk 4:21). Then He told the people He was not going to heal them but heal other people instead (see Lk 4:23-27). What kind of Good News is that? The people obviously saw no Good News in Jesus’ prophetic words; so they tried to throw Him over a cliff (Lk 4:29).

What Jesus means by Good News may often sound like bad news to us. His thoughts and ways are as different from ours as the heavens are high above the earth (Is 55:8-9). Our reaction to Jesus’ Good News may be to attempt murder, even the murder of God. But to those who accept Jesus’ Good News, despite its seeming absurdity (see 1 Cor 1:18), the Gospel is “the power of God leading everyone who believes in it to salvation” (Rm 1:16).

Have the faith and the courage to ask Jesus to speak the Good News to you – by His standards.

PRAYER: Prayer: Jesus, may I respond to You by letting You free me instead of trying to kill You. May I consider the call to repent to be Good News.
PROMISE: Promise: “The Lord Himself will come down from heaven at the word of command, at the sound of the archangel’s voice and God’s trumpet; and those who have died in Christ will rise first. Then we, the living, the survivors, will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thenceforth we shall be with the Lord unceasingly.” –1 Thes 4:16-17
PRAISE: Praise: Andrew and Amy made Mass the focus of their marriage and family.