Daily Readings - Sun Jan 27 2019

²Therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the multitude of men and women, and all those who were able to understand, on the first day of the seventh month³And he read it openly in the street which was before the water gate, from morning even until midday, in the sight of the men and women, and those who understood. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book⁴Then Ezra the scribe stood upon a step of wood, which he had made for speaking. And standing beside him were Mattithiah, and Shemaiah, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right. And on the left were Pedaiah, Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam⁵And Ezra opened the book before all the people. For he stood out above all the people. And when he had opened it, all the people stood up⁶And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people responded, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. And they bowed down, and they adored God, facing the ground⁸And they read from the book of the law of God, distinctly and plainly, so as to be understood. And when it was read, they did understand⁹Then Nehemiah (the same is the cupbearer) and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who were interpreting for all the people, said: "This day has been sanctified to the Lord our God. Do not mourn, and do not weep." For all of the people were weeping, as they were listening to the words of the law¹⁰And he said to them: "Go, eat fat foods and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who have not prepared for themselves. For it is the holy day of the Lord. And do not be sad. For the joy of the Lord is also our strength.

1 Corinthians

Chapter 12

¹²For just as the body is one, and yet has many parts, so all the parts of the body, though they are many, are only one body. So also is Christ¹³And indeed, in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether servant or free. And we all drank in the one Spirit¹⁴For the body, too, is not one part, but many²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and parts like any part

Luke

Chapter 1

¹Since, indeed, many have attempted to set in order a narrative of the things that have been completed among us²just as they have been handed on to those of us who from the beginning saw the same and were ministers of the word³so it seemed good to me also, having diligently followed everything from the beginning, to write to you, in an orderly manner, most excellent Theophilus⁴so that you might know the truthfulness of those words by which you have been instructed

Chapter 4

¹⁴And Jesus returned, in the power of the Spirit, into Galilee. And his fame spread throughout the entire region¹⁵And he taught in their synagogues, and he was magnified by everyone¹⁶And he went to Nazareth, where he had been raised. And he entered into the synagogue, according to his custom, on the Sabbath day. And he rose up to read¹⁷And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. And as he unrolled the book, he found the place where it was written¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because of this, he has anointed me. He has sent me to evangelize the poor, to heal the contrite of heart¹⁹to preach forgiveness to captives and sight to the blind, to release the broken into forgiveness, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of retribution.²⁰And when he had rolled up the book, he returned it to the minister, and he sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him²¹Then he began to say to them, "On this day, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful moments of communal gathering, the proclamation of God’s Word, and the call to live as one body united in Christ. The first reading from Nehemiah describes a scene where Ezra reads the law to the assembled people, who are deeply moved to tears by the Word of God. Yet, they are reminded that this is a day of holy joy, not sorrow, and they are encouraged to share in the feast and celebrate the Lord’s presence. The second reading from 1 Corinthians emphasizes the unity of the body of Christ, where each part is essential and connected through the Spirit. Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus returns to Nazareth, reads from Isaiah, and declares that the prophecy is fulfilled in him, announcing his mission to bring Good News to the poor and freedom to the oppressed. These readings are deeply connected. In Nehemiah, the people gather to hear the Word of God, and their response is one of repentance and joy. Similarly, in Luke, Jesus stands in the synagogue and proclaims that he is the fulfillment of God’s promises. Both scenes highlight the transformative power of God’s Word when it is proclaimed and received with faith. In 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds us that we are all part of the same body, united in Christ, and that our unity is a reflection of God’s presence among us. Together, these readings call us to recognize that we, too, are part of a larger story—a story of God’s love and redemption. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we respond to God’s Word in our own lives? Do we allow it to move us to repentance, to inspire us to joy, and to send us forth in mission? Like the people in Nehemiah, we are called to gather, to listen, and to celebrate the Lord’s presence in our midst. Like the body of Christ in Corinthians, we are called to recognize our interconnectedness and to use our gifts for the good of all. And like Jesus in Luke, we are called to bring Good News to those around us, especially to those who are marginalized or forgotten. May we embrace our role in this great story, living with joy, unity, and a deep commitment to sharing God’s love with the world.