We’re all familiar with the phrase “A work in Progress”. Generally it refers to something or someone who is developing and growing, moving in a certain direction toward a goal of completion. Often people use it in a self-deprecating way when they make a mistake and they say Well I’m just a work in progress. At the very least it denotes movement and process.

When I began reflecting on today’s Gospel reading, that’s the phrase that came to mind as we hear about Jesus in the synagogue, casting out the unclean spirit. The onlookers are inspired not only by what he did but how He did it. They are impressed with his authoritative tone and the confidence with which He speaks.

Just a few weeks ago, we celebrated Jesus' Baptism and the very beginning of His ministry. He rose from the waters and clearly needed the affirmation of God to set forth on that journey. I also think about the gospel that we will be reading on the first Sunday of Lent, when Jesus is led by the Spirit from His Baptism into the desert to be tempted by the devil. A very different picture emerges of Jesus than the one we have in today’s Gospel reading.

We clearly see that Jesus too is a work in progress. He grows and develops from His initial first steps into ministry to the confident, authoritative man we see in today’s reading. It seems Jesus is growing and developing in His role as the savior until its completion in his death and resurrection.

We may jokingly say that we are a work in progress, but in fact that is what the spiritual journey is all about. We are progressing along and becoming ever more the people God created us to be.

Within each of us God has placed great potential and our goal as His followers is to continually try to bring that potential to fulfillment. We know if we look back over the years of our own lives, we see how we have changed and developed from what we were back then. And that work in progress never ends until we find completion in God's love.

May we always strive toward that fulfillment and seek God’s continued guidance and support along the way.