Luke 4

Scripture Focus:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
— Luke 4:18–19 (NRSVUE)

Reflection

After His baptism and wilderness testing, Jesus returns to Nazareth, the town where He grew up. On the Sabbath, He stands in the synagogue, takes the scroll of Isaiah, and reads words that declare His mission—and ours: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”

With these words, Jesus announces that God’s promises are being fulfilled, right here, right now. This is not a distant hope—it is a living reality. The Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation, who spoke through the prophets, who descended like a dove at the Jordan, is now at work in Jesus to bring freedom, healing, and grace.

And the astonishing part is this: that same Spirit rests on us. Advent isn’t only about waiting for Christ to come—it’s about awakening to the Christ who is already here, working through us. Each act of compassion, each word of truth, each gesture of mercy becomes part of the good news Jesus came to bring.

The Spirit is upon us, too—calling us to be bearers of good news in a world still longing for release.

Prayer

Spirit of the Living God,
fall afresh on us.
Anoint us with the same courage and compassion
that filled the heart of Jesus.
Where there is poverty,
help us bring good news.
Where there is captivity,
help us bring freedom.
Where there is blindness,
help us bring light.
Let Your Spirit rest upon us,
so that our lives reflect the love and mercy of Christ.
Amen.

Practice

Pause today and breathe deeply, inviting the Holy Spirit to rest upon you.
As you move through your day, whisper this prayer:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”

Then look for one opportunity to embody that Spirit—
to bring good news in a simple, tangible way:
offer encouragement, give generously, forgive freely,
or stand beside someone who feels forgotten.
Each act of grace is a way of proclaiming:
“The year of the Lord’s favor is here.”

Copyright © 2025 Ronda Welander