Jesus’ announcement in Luke 4: 16-30, caused astonishment that turned into the first Protestant lynch mob.
“Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, . . . He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.’
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
A few minutes later, they attacked Him!
A difficult passage for Protestants. Why? Because Isaiah is telling the ages that Jesus would provide “liberty to captives” and would “let the oppressed go free”. A difficult passage for Protestants. Why? The obvious meaning of “liberty to captives” is that He was referring to setting free those held in slavery by sin. Oppressors and enslavers do NOT want their captives to be free!
Isaiah had predicted the Sacrament providing freedom from sin the only way it can be found, Confession and Absolution. Confession and Absolution would “let the oppressed go free”. That requires a Church. Jesus began That Church, saying to one man “Verily, verily I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.”
He Who Fulfilled The Prophecies gave His First Catholic Bishops, and those ordained in living link with them, this awesome power: “Those whose sins you forgive on earth are forgiven in Heaven.”
Protestants do not have Confession and Absolution. No minister in schism has the authority to provide it. Their followers must remain captives to sin. Most do not seem to mind.
That passage makes some Protestants aware of what being in their schism has cost them. As know that as long as they stay in their schisms, they must remain “captives” to sin. They have no way to receive Absolution from the only people Christ gave that power. They are forever “oppressed captives”.
What can those do who realize that freedom is near? Those who understand should call the nearest rectory. “Father,” they should say, “what must I do to be Catholic and be absolved of the sins that keep me in chains?”
Most have heard about Confession and Absolution. Not too many take God seriously enough to do what’s necessary to receive Absolution.
Many are called. Few are chosen.
