And he (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Luke 4:16–21 (RSV)
It is the right of every adult Jewish man to read on comment on the Scriptures. Thus it was not out of the ordinary that Jesus should be invited to read and comment on God's Word. An attendant gave Him a reading from the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 61.1-2), and by design or coincidence, the passage described Jesus' purpose.
St. Luke records that the attention of all in the synagogue was fixed on Jesus. What would He say? Rumors had come to Nazareth by way of Capernaum. Stories of miracles, profound preaching, even demons cast out trembling in terror at Jesus' presence.
'Today,' not some future time nor in some forgotten past, but today, you have heard the fulfillment of what the Father promised through the Prophet Isaiah. All that you have heard that you will hear and the many things are done that gives glory to the Father is all fulfillment of the Father's promises.
Today, there is no more time for waiting, speculating, anticipating what the Father might do when the Messiah comes. The Word you have heard throughout your lives now demands more than attention. It requires a response. Today what was once just an idea has now come in all its fullness.
'In your hearing,' this is a personal Word to you. It is speaking to your hearts, your souls. It will not be ignored, now or ever. The Father has spoken through the prophets; now He speaks through His Son. More than this, the Word is alive. It will never be mere words on a scroll or a thin page in a book.
Father Anthony Bloom writes that every encounter with God, either through the Word, the Holy Sacraments, or the awakening to the Divine presence, is a moment of judgment. We trust the Word we have heard and receive, following Jesus where He may lead, or we refuse to think that the fulfillment of Scripture applies to us at all.
Today, the Scripture is fulfilled in our hearing. Now that we have heard it, seen it, tasted, and touched it, will we follow the Word made Flesh?