In reading the passage from Is. 61:1-4, Jesus declared that the words of Isaiah were being fulfilled 'today' in Him. Jesus brings God's saving will into reality. This was realized in His works among the poor, liberating the people from sin and slavery and empowering the people to overcome the oppressions of material poverty (Acts 2:42-47,4:32-37), thereby creating new leaders, new organizations and new goals.

Yet in such a situation, Jesus faced rejection and persecution. This is what we are confronted with today - in our endeavour to bring about some form of empowerment among the poor among us, we are to suffer the same rejection as Jesus from those who profit from situations of injustice and who hold the reins of power.

Faced with this, we may sometimes wonder when will be the Lord's second coming - the 'parousia'. Paul in this letter reminds us that we are not to waste time trying to guess when the Lord is to come as he will come "like a thief in the night." Our main concern should be our response to today's needs around us - the 'here and now'. Our main task is to proclaim a new Creation where God, who is love, is all in all.