Readings: 1 John 4: 19–5:4; Psalm 72: 1-2, 14-15bc, 17; Luke 4: 14-22
Jesus begins his mission of proclaiming the Gospel to his people and clothes himself with a great light of truth, justice, charity, love, mercy, compassion, and piety. The light is evident and visible: you can touch it, see it, and feel it. People come to him because his light is not like that of the Pharisees, the scribes, or the high priests. Their lamp does not shine, illuminate nor give heat. Their mouth does not know the true language of God.
On the other hand, Jesus speaks perfectly the language of his Father who is the Word of eternal love, of endless mercy, divine charity, and effective compassion, He gives liberation and hope to spiritual and physical suffering. Jesus shows all the providence of the Father who knows how to take care of humankind. He can invite to the light, because conversion is an invitation to follow the light.
Evangelization is not done from books, from programs, or new techniques but from people who become people of charity, of truth, justice peace, and kindness. The Father did not send an Angel from heaven with an evangelization program to implement. He sent God in the flesh to draw from the flesh to God. He sent the eternal Son into the light to conquer the world in his light. He sent the Word full of grace and truth, to win hearts by filling them with grace and truth. to relieve all the sufferings of this world.
To evangelize humanity God sends his light, to love them: to redeem them he gives his only Son from the cross. Man is the agent of the invitation to conversion because man is the agent of evangelization. It is the light that spreads light and it is charity that gives charity. Programs only give empty words that conquer no heart and do not attract any mind. The one who attracts is man with his light, his charity, his love, his justice.
Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, Saints, make us people of light and love. Abba Meskel