Inauguration words

This week saw the inauguration of a new US President but I want to think back some addresses from previous inaugurations this morning. John F Kennedy in his inaugural address famously said, ‘ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.’ Barack Obama opened his inaugural address with the words, ‘I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors’. There are many famous quotes which can be taken from inaugural speeches, whether of Presidents or Prime Ministers, or people in many other capacities – but few give quite such a powerful inaugural address and such incredible inspiration as Jesus offered in our gospel this morning (Luke 4:14-21). He went home to Nazareth to give the address. In the synagogue he was given a scroll from the prophet Isaiah to read, and he read, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good new...