The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for your home
January 26, 2025 –Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
Download this simple process to Prepare for Sunday using the Observe, Judge, Act Method
Did you ever think about how fortunate we are to have the four gospel accounts of the life of Jesus? They were written well before the invention of the printing press, and certainly before we had typewriters and laptops. Further, the four gospels have stood the test of time for reliability as trustworthy accounts of the life, the activities and teachings of our lord and saviour, Jesus Christ. Each gospel has a unique tone and emphasis which is not surprising. In no significant way do they disagree with each other. Another amazing point.
Today’s gospel provides us with some background for the creation of Luke’s gospel. In brief, Luke states that while he was not an eyewitness to many of the events he describes, he did research and collected the basic facts of the life of Jesus as were available to him.
Biblical scholars have concluded that Mark’s Gospel was most likely the first of the gospels to be composed and its creation is dated somewhere between 60AD and 80 AD. The gospels of Luke and Matthew were composed soon after that and finally, close to the year 100 John’s gospel was written. While there are minor differences in the four gospels, they are basically in agreement, although some details differ between them.
They each have a unique style and often include accounts not found in other gospels. For example, the lengthy description of the Last Supper is only found on John’s gospel. And the Sermon on the Mount is found only in Matthew’s gospel.
Before Vatican II (1962-1965) there was but one set of gospel readings used each year for the Sunday Catholic Mass. Wanting its members to be exposed to more of the gospels, the Church expanded the gospel readings over a three-year period. Also, Catholic preachers were directed to base their sermons specifically on the gospel readings each Sunday. That is the current practice.
Here is a New Year suggestion. If you have never done so, read a part of the gospels each day. There is something special about reading through a whole gospel and reading all four of the gospels in a year. If you find a passage that has a special appeal, stop and reread it, think about it and maybe even pray over its message. When I write these Nazareth pages, I generally spend a whole day thinking about the Sunday gospel for the Sunday I am writing about. Again, what a wonderful gift we have in the four gospels. Make them a part of your life. They were in a sense written for you!
David M. Thomas, PhD