Jesus' Job Description

Listen to the first reading this Sunday.   Isaiah 61:1-2 is Jesus' self proclaimed job description:

he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God.

Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1-2 in Luke 4:18-19 at the beginning of his ministry. If we are Christians - disciples of Jesus Christ - his apprentices in the art of living, do we participate in his work, and learn how to do his work?

What aspects of my job - or how I do my job bring glad tidings to the poor, or heal those who are suffering? Am I doing my job in a way that helps people be liberated from whatever enslaves them or holds them down? Am I sharing the abundant love of God with my coworkers, clients, costumers, students, or the delivery person?

Whether we work in a for profit secular job, or a not-for-profit religious organization, it can be difficult to be the presence of God for others, but it is our job description as Christians.

This Sunday, we get a different Gospel account of John the Baptist.  We get to see him from the perspective of the Gospel according to John instead of from the perspective of the Gospel according to Mark.