Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Wednesday, March 20, 2013 Read – Isaiah 56 We have noticed Luke’s concern for the outcast and the poor. Several times Samaritans have been lifted up as good examples of those who are welcomed by Jesus. The theme of Isaiah 56 sounds a similar word – foreigners and eunuchs who were once restrained from participation among God’s people are welcomed. Luke shared Isaiah’s vision of the welcome of all people into God’s kingdom. Perhaps some of Luke’s vision comes from his reading of Isaiah. Though this is certainly an emphasis of Luke it is not absent from the other gospel writers and was surely something that was important to Jesus. When we speak of it as Luke’s concern we should not think that he has moved beyond Jesus – Jesus is the one who welcomed outcast and sinners. We can be thankful to Luke for highlighting what Jesus has already done. Incidentally, it is from this chapter of Isaiah that Jesus quoted the words, “My house shall be a house of prayer” as he drove the money changers out of the Temple. We will need to talk more about that when we get to that part of the story in Luke’s gospel. As we hear Jesus, Luke, and Isaiah we need to reflect upon the inclusiveness or exclusiveness of our own churches. Do we welcome the outcast and the sinner? Or, are we plagued with the judgmentalism that has so often lived within church people? Today is a good day for self-reflection.