In the year 1198 in...
Illustration
In the year 1198 in the city of Paris, this passage from the prophet Isaiah was read on the Sunday before Christmas. Philip II, King of France, swept into Notre Dame Cathedral with all the magnificence of his royal raiment. Following him were the members of his royal court, haughty knights and proud ladies, in their silks and velvets and furs. Arrogantly these aristocrats moved through the throngs of common people to the most prominent seats in the Cathedral. Life in those days for the common people held precious little hope, except scant food, a hovel for a dwelling, and a chance to work out one's days in grinding poverty.
Then the lesson was read: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn." As the reader finished, the commoners broke out in continuing yells of gladness and cheers of assent for the ways of God over the ways of human beings. The cheering, on the part of the folk of low degree, sent chills of fear through the nobility, and, fearing another such occurrence, the archbishop of Paris announced that in the future, when this lesson was read, only seven well modulated cheers would be permitted.
Small wonder that, when the Son of God chose these words to describe his ministry, it was the poor people who heard him gladly.
Then the lesson was read: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn." As the reader finished, the commoners broke out in continuing yells of gladness and cheers of assent for the ways of God over the ways of human beings. The cheering, on the part of the folk of low degree, sent chills of fear through the nobility, and, fearing another such occurrence, the archbishop of Paris announced that in the future, when this lesson was read, only seven well modulated cheers would be permitted.
Small wonder that, when the Son of God chose these words to describe his ministry, it was the poor people who heard him gladly.
