God puts us where He needs us.

Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

We hear in Luke’s Gospel today that Jesus had returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and that God was with Him. Jesus we are told taught in their synagogues and was praised by all and the news of Him spread throughout the whole region.

What we hear today takes place after Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan when the Spirit like a dove descended upon Him. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

What we hear today takes place after His 40-days in the desert where He had been tempted by the devil; and it takes place also after the wedding in Cana where Jesus performed His first miracle changing water into wine.

What we hear about in Luke’s Gospel today is the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He came to Nazareth where he had grown up to announce the beginning of His public ministry. And what was His ministry: to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Each of us is here today in the power of the Spirit and God is with us too. We have been baptized into His death and resurrection and into His Church. Each of us is called to be the salt of the earth and a light of the world. Perhaps it is time then for us to start our earthly ministries too.

About 20 years ago I began my earthly ministry – I performed my first miracle – I restored sight to a blind man. I know what you are thinking – is he serious? Did he just say he performed a miracle and restored sight to a blind man? Next week we will hear the rest of the fourth chapter of Luke’s Gospel. We will hear the same people who praised and spoke highly of Jesus this week say “but isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” How can He say such things its blasphemy and they will drive Him out of the town.

So how is it I can say I restored sight to a blind man? You are probably thinking – isn’t this our deacon, how can he say he performed a miracle and restored sight to a blind man it’s impossible. But before you run me out of Church let me explain.



I have worn glasses almost all my life and as you all well know periodically those of us that wear glasses have to get our eyes checked and our prescriptions updated. Such was the case 20 years ago, I had gone to the optometrist and had my eyes checked and ordered a new pair of glasses. A couple weeks later we received a call that the glasses I ordered had come in and were ready for pick up. So we loaded our kids into the car, our daughter was around 4 and our son 2, and drove over to the doctor’s office.

My wife waited in the car with our children as I went in to pick up my new glasses. The office was crowed. There was a young family there. I could tell by the way the husband was dressed that he worked in construction and I could tell by the dirt on his clothes, his arms and his hands that he worked hard to support his family. His wife was balancing a baby on her hip and the young father held their other child, perhaps 3 years old in his arms.

Although they were talking quiet between themselves I heard that he had broken his glasses that day and could not see without them. They were at the doctor’s office to see if his glasses could be repaired – but they were damaged in such a way that they couldn’t be fixed. His eyesight was so bad that he couldn’t work without glasses. They were there to see if his glasses could be repaired because they couldn’t afford a new pair. I could sense their desperation.

I didn’t say anything to them; nobody in the office did, although I am certain we were all aware of the gravity of their situation. I picked up my new glasses and went out to the car. I explained to my wife what I heard and asked her if she would mind if we paid for his new pair of glasses.

Please understand we weren’t rich. I was in the military and we had two young children ourselves, but I know what it is like to be in a desperate situation like that family was in. My wife, God bless her, has always supported me. She didn’t hesitate. We quickly counted the money out from our wallets and she took it to them. They never knew who we were, the money we gave them was a gift, and we never saw or heard of them again. That young father got his sight back that day.



Jesus proclaimed the fulfillment of God’s plan and promise in Himself when He said “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing”. Well today this scripture passage is fulfilled again in our hearing. We can make Christ’s vision for this world come true. The Spirit of the Lord is upon us. He has anointed us and given us His gifts of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, steadfastness and courage. We can continue Christ’s ministry if we put aside our differences, accept our commonly shared humanity, and live as members of one human body.

This is what our second reading from Corinthians talks about: as a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, we were all given to drink of one Spirit. And now that we are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it, each of us has been given unique gifts. We must remember the gifts that we have been given are meant to be shared.


God puts us where He needs us.

You make a living from what you earn, you make a life from what you give.