Every four years as a country, we look forward to the innauguration of a new president. Each state has a similar event on a periodic basis when a new governor takes office. These events are marked with speeches that are usually renewed on an annual basis by a State of the Union Message or a State of the State address.

Not infrequently, we hear reports of accomplishments and promises of change and newness, calls for renewal of vigor, and appeals to put to one side whatever may impede the agenda of the president or governor.

All of these speeches are decent and enable people to feel a certain degree of pride knowing that there is a recognition of the past and a vision for the future.

But...and this is a really big but....if they are so good, why do they have to be repeated so often and why is there at some point a certain sameness to those messages?

Of course, the true leader is the one who has followers, and not just followers but those willing to buy into the leader’s message. The “rah rahs” of the political speech must give way to convincing action on the parts of both the leader and the follower.

With all of this in mind, consider the scene of today’s gospel passage. Luke begins by setting the stage, a prologue so to speak for his entire version of the gospel. After this introduction, he writes his stories about the birth of Jesus. But in this passage, he presents the innauguration speech of Jesus Christ. In terms of presidential and gubernatorial speeches, this one was very brief in words, but beyond words in value.

Jesus enters the synagogue, opens the scroll, and reads this passage from Isaiah: The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed to 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.

Imagine the drama attached to this scene...Jesus unrolls the scroll, reads, rolls the scroll back up and returns it to the attendant....all the while people are staring at him. Then, Jesus finally declares: “Today, this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

If someone were to say today I am the fulfillment of al that you have ever hoped for, our response would be something like: “Yeah, right.” Even if we were less cynical, we might say to the person something like: “On what basis can you make that statement? How can you prove the value and truth of your claim?”

Jesus’ entire life was spent living the prophecy made centuries before he came on earth. But the prophecy and the fulfillment of that prophecy do not end with the death of Jesus. The sign of a good leader is that his good works continue to build after he is gone.

Well, it is clear that the work of Jesus has continued. We are the Church, and as Church, we are the Body of Christ. The brief passage from Paul’s letter underscores our relationship with Christ and our relationship with one another. All of us are called upon to make the prophecy of Isaiah come true and make Jesus’ fulfillment of that mission come alive.

However, what would Jesus say in 2010 if he were to return to give a “State of the Union Address?” A president would want to enumerate the accomplishments under his administration. What accomplishments would Jesus be able to enumerate for his Church today?

Well, there are many. The Church has brought good news to many. Look at all the missionary countries, including our own, that have been evangelized and who are now sending clergy and religious to other countries and to those countries who originally evangelized them. Look at the situation in Haiti today thousands of people are being aided by Catholic Relief Services due to the generosity of so many Catholics throughout the world. Look at the accomplishments of our schools, our catechetical programs, our hospitals, and our many other institutions. All of these activities would provide fodder our Jesus’ State of the Union Speech.

However, I believe that there would also be a challenge from Jesus. Who is going to carry on the work of evangelization? He would challenge parents about what you are doing to foster your children to respond to his call to priesthood and religious life. I do not believe that God is calling fewer men to priesthood. I do know that fewer are responding to his invitation. Parents and grandparents, you must be the voice of God invititing your children to consider priesthood. After all, I know of no future priests that are going to come from a rectory. The priests of tomorrow must come from your homes or there will not be any. Only you can answer that challenge. Yes, there are many catechists and teachers, but we are a Eucharistic community that cannot exist without the celebration of the sacraments and the informed teaching of the successors to the apostles.

Likewise, I think he would challenge our thinking and our behavior. We may think with the mind of Christ, but do we always act with the mind of Christ? Have you stood up or declared your opposition to the challenges to human life or have you said nothing because you did not want to stir the pot? What about the blatant injustices in our world? Saying nothing means that the message of Jesus Christ will not get disseminated.

Additionally, Jesus would challenge our efforts of evangelization. As you know, I am a rent-a-priest and am in different parishes on most weekends. As I travel about, I can confidently and without hesitation say that there is more than enough room in our churches for worship. In fact, at some Masses I believe that I help lower the average age of people in Church. Those missing are your brothers and sisters, your sons and daughters, your grandchildren. I know that it is hard to get them back, but not saying or doing anything will never get them to return.

The prevalent opinion that religion is totally a personal part of one’s life would likewise be fodder for Jesus’ criticism. He established a church in unity. The more individualistic belief becomes, the weaker becomes that belief. Jesus established a church, not just a gaggle of A church provides unity and strength to the believers. Jesus’ followers need to unite, as we heard from Paul, so that the individual gifts can be joined for the mutual benefit of all. Weak membership means a weak Church, means a weak presence of Jesus’ saving mission.

So, today we are challenged and probably dumbfounded as were those people in the synagogue with Jesus. Yes, Jesus came to do so much, but we, His followers, must continue that work. Hear the challenge, buy into the challenge, and know that God’s grace wll lead us through that challenge to completion, and ultimately that completion is eternal life.