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Friday after Epiphany

Commentary of the day
Origen (c.185-253), priest and theologian
Homilies on Saint Luke's Gospel, no.32 ; SC 87

"The eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him"

When you read that Jesus “taught in their synagogues and was praised by all”, beware of thinking that those who heard Christ then were happy and that you are, as it were, deprived of his teaching. For if Scripture is true then our Lord did not just speak in former times in the congregations of the Jews but today as well in our own congregation, and not just here and now but in congregations throughout the world... Today Jesus is “praised by all” even more than in the days when he was only known in a single place...

“The Lord has sent me,” he said, “to bring glad tidings to the poor.” The poor, here, refer to the gentiles who were indeed poor since they possessed nothing: neither God, nor the Law, nor the prophets, nor righteousness, nor support of any kind. Why did God send him as a messenger to the poor? To “proclaim deliverance to captives” - captives, that is what we were: prisoners in chains for so long, subjected to the power of Satan. And to “tell the blind they will see the light”, for his word restores sight to the blind...

“Jesus rolled up the scroll again, handed it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.” Right now once more, if you want to, here in our own assembly, you can fix your eyes on the Lord. When you direct your heart's deepest regard towards contemplating Wisdom and Truth, the only Son of God, then you have your eyes fixed on Jesus. Blessed is that assembly of whom Scripture says that “the eyes of all were fixed on him”! How I should like our own assembly to be worthy of the same testimony and for the eyes of all, catechumens and faithful, women, men and children, to be fixed on Jesus with the eyes of their soul! For once you have contemplated him your face and your look will be illuminated with his light and you will be able to say: “O Lord, the light of your face has set its seal upon us” (Ps 4,7 LXX).