Sunday, January 23, 2022: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of 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, 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.”

In the passage Jesus reads, we hear of “recovery of sight to the blind.” Jesus is speaking of physical blindness, but also something else. There are other ways to be blind. Who of us has not stumbled because we were not looking where we were going? Another kind of blindness refers to habits we have. Our familiar ways of doing something may be a daily irritant to family members. Unwashed dishes lying around, take-out evidence left to greet the first one up in the morning, coats and shoes left where they dropped. Everyone can make their own list. These are rough edges through which the give and take of family life teaches us to be conscious of others’ needs and wants. It cures the blindness of “my way” versus “our way.”

Another kind of blindness is even more different to recognize: Our blindspots. Family members have a way of opening up blindspots by teasing or questioning.

Blindspot search: “We miss a great deal of entertainment by not laughing at ourselves.” Take that line and one ridiculous thing you’ve done in the last 24 hours to a prayer time and ask Jesus to go deeper and help you see how funny it is. You and Jesus may have a wonderful time laughing together.