Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the 22nd week in ordinary time, August 31, 2026

Delivered by Julia Cindy Purwandari and Martinus Dominikus Lanang from Saint Peter's School Kelapa Gading, Jakarta Utara, in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5; Rs psalm 119: 97.98.99.100.101.102; Luke 4: 16-30.GOOD NEWS FOR THE POOR Our meditation today has the theme: Good News for thePoor. The holy Scriptures define poor people in a broad sense instead of anarrow sense such as those who have nothing for their daily basic needs for aliving. There are three categories according to the Scriptures, namely thewidows, the orphans and the strangers. There was a child from the village whowas in grade 5 elementary school, when he heard about the characteristics ofpoor people according to Scriptures, he commented spontaneously, that hisfamily was not poor. There were no widows, nobody orphans and no strangers inhis own family and extended family as well. But today we all know that poverty in this world is acomplex reality, which includes physical, spiritual, economy, social andpolitical aspects. Jesus Christ brought a mission from the Father to free everyhuman being who is in poverty of all these aspects. When he preached in thesynagogue of his place of origin, he said that His mission accomplished whenthe Word of God was preached and listened. His listeners at that time were the richand powerful ones, because it was only they who had access to the synagogue.Poor people did not have such priviledge like them. So they must be offended.If there were poor present among His listeners, they would be comforted. For the poor whose hearts are open to God, the Word ofGod indeed becomes an oasis for their souls that are in need of God's mercy andblessing. They certainly see and hear Jesus' preaching to be the moment oftheir deliverance. Jesus is very consistent to choice to side with them. Theyrealize themselves as poor people, and through their experience with Jesus,they find hope, not only for a liberation experienced in this world, butespecially an assurance of the salvation and eternal life. As for those who are powerful, rich and intelligent,the word of God is like a blow that humiliates and threatens their comfortablelife. Because they are offended, they give reaction and do the plan to destroyJesus. We all know that a reaction or a violence act made to destroy what orwho is good, true and just, just like what had happened to Jesus, is not onlybased on different understanding and belief, but mainly supported by anger andhatred. A person deliberately does this because his sinful act or crime isknown by others. He is caught sinning before God and before others too. We have various shortcomings that make us poor, andsurely we need the message of deliverance from Jesus. The principle would bethis: we should not reject Him even when we have evil plans against Hiscommandments, but we must accept Him with sincerity and joy. When every timeyou listen to the word of God, just tell yourself in such expression:"Today the words of the Scriptures are fulfilled when I listen tothem". This is a moment of liberation for you. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord Jesus Christ, we hope that throughYour words today, we will welcome every word preached to us that can give usthe joy of deliverance and salvation. Glory to the Father and to the Son and tothe Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ...