Daily Readings - Sun Jan 27 2019
Nehemiah
2And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.3And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.4And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:6And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.8So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.9And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
1 Corinthians
12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.14For the body is not one member, but many.27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Luke
1Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,2Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;3It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,4That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
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.