Monday, November 27, 2000
Read Luke 4: 16-21
"[God] has anointed me . . ."
Anointing was a means of investing
someone with power, and/or to signify divine sanctification and
approval. With these words of Luke 4:18, Jesus declared
his authority for his ministry. The declaration was revolutionary
and shocking. With this authority came power and holiness. Jesus'
acts of healing and casting out demons were signs of his holiness
and of his authority to forgive sins and reverse the established
order of things even to make poor people the ones favored by God.
He restated his authority in the Great Commission (Matthew
28:18-20), and then invested his disciples with
that authority.
As modern-day disciples we are heirs of that authority. We have
to claim it and consider how we will be agents of healing and
exorcism in our world. Walter Wink, in his book Naming the
Powers, helps us to understand that evil is still alive
and well in our institutions as well as in ourselves. The structures
of present day economic systems are evil. They keep poor people
in poverty to the advantage and enrichment of the privileged few.
In addition to offering the "cup of cold water" services
and caring that we extend to individuals, we need advocacy. We
need to ask why these people are suffering. Why are there so many
chronically mentally ill people on the streets begging? Why are
our food pantries overwhelmed with requests? Why are our homeless
shelters overflowing? Why are there so many people in poverty
in our country when we have record levels of unemployment? Why
are millions of people still living in refugee camps around the
world years after the event that uprooted them? Why do so many
countries suffer from underdevelopment? Economic injustice is
an evil power that needs exorcism.
Let us claim the authority Jesus invested in us to carry on the
work of "bringing good news to the poor." Let us claim
it, seize it, live it! --SFG
Prayer: Dear God, prod us into meaningful action.
Amen.
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