Longing

One of the themes that runs through this Sunday’s texts is longing.
The Psalmist longs for God to rescue him from all that besets him. God longs for a prophet to speak the truth about the present realities facing Judah so that the people might let go of their false hope and all that separated them from God might be removed. Jeremiah longs to be freed from that call.
Paul longs that the young church in Corinth might let go of needing to know who was in and who was out and instead base their communal life of God’s hospitable generous love.
The people of Nazareth long for Jesus to place them first, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour to them by bringing good news to their poor, proclaiming release to their captives, recovery of sight to their blind and letting their oppressed go free. And Jesus longs for them to let go of this longing.
Which of these echo our longings? What invitation are we offered in these readings?

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