Luke 4:16-30 Jesus went into the synagogue as he usually did

Sunday Church Goers in a Boat, Painted by Carl Wilhelmson (1899-1926), Painted in the 1909, Oil on canvas © National Museum, Stockholm

Gospel Reading

Jesus came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written: The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour. He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips. They said, ‘This is Joseph’s son, surely?’ But he replied, ‘No doubt you will quote me the saying, “Physician, heal yourself” and tell me, “We have heard all that happened in Capernaum, do the same here in your own countryside.”’ And he went on, ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. ‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’ When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.

Reflection on the painting

Today’s reading begins with the words, ‘Jesus went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did’—much as we attend Church on Sundays. Our featured painting by Carl Wilhelmson is set in his native Bohuslän, Sweden. It depicts a family from the local fishing community, painted with great dignity, crossing the water to reach church, likely ‘as they usually did’ on a Sunday. The painting’s bright, vibrant colours and meticulous attention to detail (note the reflections of the boat and textiles in the water) create a striking painting. The phrase ‘as Jesus usually did’ particularly resonated with me. Jesus was a man of habits, and today’s reading invites us to adopt his habits. By emulating Jesus’ habits, we begin to resemble him and grow closer to him. Learning new habits involves consistent effort and repetition over a period of time. Research suggests that it typically takes around six weeks for a new behaviour to become a habit. To establish a new habit, we should start by setting clear, achievable goals and then incorporate the new behaviour into our daily routine. Over time, the repeated action becomes ingrained, and the new habit will start to feel natural and automatic. That is what Jesus wants us to do with prayer. So, what is a habit? The Oxford Dictionary defines a habit as ‘a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.’ Our painting captures beautifully the dignity and simplicity of the family’s routine. The careful attention to the textures of the boat and the family’s clothing adds depth and realism, while the bright, natural light imbues the scene with a sense of peace and devotion, highlighting the importance of family, prayer and faith in daily life.

by Father Patrick van der Vorst