Daily Readings - Sun Jan 26 2025

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

The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of God’s Word and its transformative impact on our lives and communities. In the first reading from Nehemiah, we see the people of Israel gathered to hear Ezra read from the law. This moment is deeply emotional for them; they weep as they listen to the words of the law, recognizing how far they have strayed from God’s ways. Yet Ezra and Nehemiah remind them that this day is holy, a time not for mourning but for celebration and joy. The people are called to share in the richness of God’s love and to extend that love to others, even to those who have not prepared for themselves. This reading reminds us that God’s Word has the power to convict us, but it also brings us hope and strength. In the second reading from 1 Corinthians, Paul emphasizes the unity and diversity of the body of Christ. Just as a human body is made up of many parts, each with its own function, so too is the Church. We are all part of Christ’s body, and each of us has a unique role to play in building up the community. This reading challenges us to recognize our interconnectedness and to value the contributions of every member, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. It is through this unity in diversity that we truly become the body of Christ, living out the love and mission of Jesus in the world. In the Gospel, Luke shows us Jesus fulfilling his mission as the Messiah. He reads from the prophet Isaiah, announcing that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him, anointing him to bring good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. This passage is a declaration of Jesus’ identity and purpose. It also reminds us that we, as his followers, are called to continue his mission. Just as the Spirit was upon Jesus, the same Spirit dwells within us, empowering us to live out the values of the kingdom of God. Today’s readings call us to reflect on our own relationship with God’s Word and our place within the body of Christ. Like the people in Nehemiah, we are invited to listen to God’s Word with open hearts, allowing it to transform us and bring us joy. Like Paul’s vision of the Church, we are reminded that we are not alone but are part of a larger community, each with a unique role to play. And like Jesus, we are called to live out the mission of love and compassion in the world. May we embrace these truths and allow them to shape our lives, so that we may truly be the body of Christ, living in unity, joy, and service to others.