Daily Readings - Sun Jan 23 2022

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

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the profound connection between God’s presence in our lives and our shared life as a community. In the first reading from Nehemiah, we see Ezra gathering the people to read the law, a moment of renewal and recommitment after the exile. The people’s tears of repentance turn to joy as they recognize the sacredness of the day. This scene reminds us that encountering God’s word has the power to transform us, individually and collectively, and that our faith is not a solitary journey but a shared experience. In the second reading, St. Paul uses the metaphor of the body to describe the Church, emphasizing that each of us, with our unique gifts and roles, is part of the one body of Christ. Just as every part of the body is essential, so too is every member of the Church. This teaching challenges us to value diversity and to recognize that our unity is rooted in our shared life in Christ. It also calls us to humility and mutual support, recognizing that no one is insignificant in the eyes of God. In the Gospel, Luke shows Jesus returning to Nazareth, where he reads from Isaiah and declares that the prophecy is fulfilled in him. This moment is a powerful reminder of Jesus’ mission to bring good news to the poor, freedom to the captives, and sight to the blind. It also invites us to see ourselves as part of this mission, called to continue his work of healing and liberation in the world. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How am I contributing to the life of the community? How am I using my gifts to serve others? And how am I allowing God’s word to transform me? May we, like the people in Nehemiah’s time, find joy in God’s presence, and may we, like the body of Christ, work together to build a world where all people can experience the freedom and healing that Jesus brings.